WMO says El Nino risk rises to 80% for summer 2026

GENEVA — The World Meteorological Organization said the chance of an El Nino forming in the summer of 2026 has risen to 80 percent. The United Nations agency said the event could emerge between June and August. The organization said the odds that El Nino will last at least until November are close to 90 percent or higher. It said the phenomenon could be moderate or even strong. El Nino is driven by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean and affects temperature and rainfall patterns around the world. The agency said the same cycle helped make 2023 and 2024 among the hottest years on record. The WMO said its assessment points to a higher risk of extreme weather in the coming months.