at least 1950. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued the warning in its monthly Global Seasonal Climate Update, noting the naturally occurring weather phenomenon will likely bring above-average temperatures across much of the globe while shifting rainfall patterns and increasing drought and flood risks in various regions. El Niño warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, causing worldwide changes in winds, pressure, and rainfall. It typically occurs every two to seven years and lasts around nine to twelve months, oscillating with its opposite phase, La Niña. The WMO forecast, based on consensus among 13 leading meteorological centers, projects record sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific during October - December. The index measuring temperature anomalies in the El Niño heartland rose from 1.6°C above normal in June to 2.5°C in August, and is forecast to reach roughly 3.7°C above normal - the highest since observations began, surpassing the previous record of 2.6°C set in 2015 - 2016. WMO chief Celeste Saulo said El Niño is "firmly established and strengthening rapidly", with a near-100 percent likelihood it persists through February 2027. She emphasized that El Niño doesn't add new heat to the planet but releases heat stored in the ocean. "The ocean it's drawing from is the warmest we've ever measured it. There is simply more heat available to release", she said. The last El Niño contributed to 2023 being the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high, at around 1.55°C above the 1850 - 1900 pre-industrial average. While El Niño usually peaks between November and February, temperature spikes typically follow later. This event is already hitting some regions hard - particularly Central America, where drought is killing animals and crops. The phenomenon compounds the effects of man-made climate change. (Bssnews)