Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:36pm on 21 Aug 2026,Friday Weather & Environment
The El Niño event developing over the Pacific Ocean could become the strongest in living memory, the UK Met Office has warned. Forecasts suggest Pacific sea surface temperatures may rise more than 3°C above average later this year, surpassing records since 1950. The phenomenon could worsen droughts, floods and food insecurity worldwide, while affecting India’s monsoon rainfall. Combined with human-driven climate change, the Met Office said 2027 is very likely to become the hottest year on record, replacing 2024. Scientists say El Niño is occurring in an already warmer world, increasing the risk of more severe weather impacts. (PC: BBC)
