UN Warns Rapidly Intensifying El Nino Will Drive Global Heatwaves, Drought and Floods
A rapidly intensifying El Nino event is set to drive extreme heatwaves, droughts, and flooding worldwide in the coming months, compounding the effects of human-caused climate change according to the UN and World Meteorological Organization.
UN Warns of Intensifying El Nino
A rapidly intensifying El Nino event is set to dominate global weather patterns in the coming months, unleashing extreme weather across the planet, the World Meteorological Organization has warned. [1] The United Nations weather agency’s latest update, released on Friday, said that the periodic climate phenomenon threatens to heighten the risk of heatwaves, drought, and flooding around the globe. [1] The report comes as countries in Africa and Europe are battling massive wildfires, while monsoon season has caused havoc across South Asia. [1] “El Nino is not just on our doorstep, it is inside the house and turning up the heat,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. [1] “This is only a warm-up act. El Nino is strengthening, adding fuel to a planet already on fire.” [1]
Projected Temperature Anomalies
Central Pacific sea-surface temperatures are projected to soar more than 2.9 degrees Celsius above normal. [1] The abnormal warming of surface waters is set to upend weather systems and drive global temperature spikes. [1] The WMO projects above-normal temperatures across nearly all land areas, with the most intense heat signals stretching across Africa, southern Europe, the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, and South America. [1] Scientists caution that this year’s El Nino could reach record intensity when it peaks in the latter half of the year, although computer model projections remain uncertain. [1]
Current Extreme Weather Impacts
The report comes as countries in Africa and Europe are battling massive wildfires, while monsoon season has caused havoc across South Asia. [1] Current extreme weather includes massive wildfires in Africa and Europe, and monsoon havoc across South Asia. [1]
Call for Fossil Fuel Halt and Climate Action
Guterres urged nations to fast-track climate action as the impact of El Nino converges with human-induced climate change. [1] He specifically pointed to fossil fuel expansion as the core driver amplifying the crisis, calling for an immediate halt to new coal, oil, and gas projects. [1] UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the phenomenon as already inside the house and turning up the heat on a planet already on fire, calling for an immediate halt to new fossil fuel projects. [1]
WMO Emphasis on Early Warnings to Action
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said that while El Nino is closely tracked, early warnings must translate into concrete action by governments and humanitarian agencies to safeguard vulnerable communities. [1] “Forecasts in themselves do not prevent hazards; people do,” Saulo said. [1] “The decisions we make today will shape the impacts we experience tomorrow.” [1] WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized that forecasts must lead to concrete government and humanitarian action to protect vulnerable communities. [1]
Local Severe Weather Alerts in the US
The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Northwestern Hall County in the Panhandle of Texas and Northeastern Briscoe County in the Panhandle of Texas until 445 PM CDT. [2] At 416 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 5 miles west of Brice, or 16 miles south of Clarendon, moving south at 20 mph with a hazard of 60 mph wind gusts. [2] The National Weather Service in Norman has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for West central Jackson County in southwestern Oklahoma, Southeastern Harmon County in southwestern Oklahoma, and Southwestern Greer County in southwestern Oklahoma until 500 PM CDT. [3] At 413 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 5 miles east of Gould, moving south at 15 mph with a hazard of 60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail. [3] At 313 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles south of Capulin, or 12 miles southwest of Des Moines, moving northeast at 5 mph with a hazard of 60 mph wind gusts and small hail. [4] At 306 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area in El Paso County, Colorado, where between 1 and 3 inches of rain have fallen and flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. [5]
What to watch next: This year’s El Nino could reach record intensity in the latter half of the year, though model projections remain uncertain, with the WMO continuing to track the event closely.
