BoM forecasts strongest El Niño on record as research points to ‘alarming’ climate change influence
News Source
•Thu, 03 Sep 2026 15:00:51 GMT
📰 What Happened
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology says the El Nino event to Australia's east is already breaking heat records. Ocean temperatures in the Pacific have risen by more than 2C in six months. Forecasters believe this El Nino will easily surpass earlier events.
The UN weather agency says the event is still strengthening and will likely last until early 2027. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that El Nino is being 'supersized before our eyes'. Scientists say climate change has greatly shortened the odds of record-breaking extremes.
🔍 The Backstory
El Nino is a natural climate pattern where warm water shifts across the tropical Pacific Ocean. It changes weather around the world, often bringing drought to the Pacific and heavy rain to other regions. This event is happening on top of long-term warming caused by climate change.
Scientists say climate change made record extremes much more likely this time. The last big El Nino in 2015-16 caused severe drought, coral bleaching and food shortages. Researchers are watching closely because this one could be worse.
🎯 Why It Matters
For Australians, a massive El Nino means more heatwaves, bushfire risk and drought. It also raises food prices and hurts communities across the Pacific. How strong this event gets will shape weather and living costs for years.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology says the El Nino event to Australia's east is already breaking heat records. Ocean temperatures in the Pacific have risen by more than 2C in six months. Forecasters believe this El Nino will easily surpass earlier events.
The UN weather agency says the event is still strengthening and will likely last until early 2027. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that El Nino is being 'supersized before our eyes'. Scientists say climate change has greatly shortened the odds of record-breaking extremes.
El Nino is a natural climate pattern where warm water shifts across the tropical Pacific Ocean. It changes weather around the world, often bringing drought to the Pacific and heavy rain to other regions. This event is happening on top of long-term warming caused by climate change.
Scientists say climate change made record extremes much more likely this time. The last big El Nino in 2015-16 caused severe drought, coral bleaching and food shortages. Researchers are watching closely because this one could be worse.
For Australians, a massive El Nino means more heatwaves, bushfire risk and drought. It also raises food prices and hurts communities across the Pacific. How strong this event gets will shape weather and living costs for years.