Forecasters warn developing El Niño could become strongest in decades

Meteorologists and climate monitoring agencies report that an intensifying El Niño pattern could become the most powerful in decades, compounding the effects of global warming. According to projections by the UK Met Office, sea surface temperatures across the tropical Pacific could rise more than three degrees Celsius above seasonal norms, elevating the likelihood that 2027 becomes the warmest year on record.

Concurrently, data from the European Union's Copernicus climate service confirmed record-high July ocean temperatures, aligned with severe heatwaves and wildfires across Europe. Analysts warn that the converging climate drivers heighten risks of severe drought in the Amazon basin and South America, while triggering heavy rainfall and flooding across parts of Asia. The disruptions pose mounting challenges to agricultural yields, power grids, and international supply chains.

Sources: BBC News, Bloomberg, France24, STV News, The Guardian.