‘Jaw-dropping’ El Niño bursts through temperature record months before peak

Key Points:

• The current El Niño event has surpassed the highest recorded temperature for the phenomenon, reaching 3.05°C in the Pacific Ocean, exceeding the previous record of 3.02°C set in 2015, with forecasts predicting a peak of 4.0°C later this year.
• This El Niño is likely the strongest in at least 1,000 years and is exacerbating global warming effects, potentially making 2027 the hottest year on record due to the combined impact of human-caused climate change and the event itself.
• The phenomenon is already causing severe weather disruptions worldwide, including wildfires and air pollution in Indonesia, reduced monsoon rains in India, droughts in Central America and the Caribbean, and flooding in parts of South America and Africa.
• Scientists warn that the intensified El Niño, combined with climate change, will lead to unprecedented heat extremes, threatening health, food security, and water availability globally, while also increasing the risk and severity of natural disasters.
• Global authorities, including the UN, are mobilizing unprecedented efforts to improve forecasting and preparedness, as experts highlight the enormous economic and humanitarian costs associated with this "Godzilla-level" El Niño event.