The United Nations has warned that the imminent return of El Niño, a powerful natural weather pattern, could cause widespread travel disruptions this summer, including flight cancellations and extreme weather events. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicts an 80% chance of El Niño forming before September, with a 90% likelihood by November. Scientists anticipate the phenomenon could be at least moderate in strength, potentially leading to record-breaking temperatures and severe weather.
UN Secretary General António Guterres described the situation as an urgent climate warning, stating that El Niño conditions will exacerbate global warming. The most recent El Niño in 2023-24 was among the five strongest on record, contributing to 2024 being the hottest year globally. The WMO forecasts unusually high temperatures across nearly all parts of the planet for the next three months, increasing the risk of extreme rainfall and drought.
Travelers should prepare for potential cancellations and delays as El Niño typically brings heavier rain to parts of South America, the southern US, the Horn of Africa, and central Asia, while causing drier conditions in Central America, northern South America, the Caribbean, Australia, Indonesia, and parts of south Asia. The warm waters can also fuel hurricanes in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, though they hinder Atlantic hurricane formation.
Gareth Redmond-King from the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit warned that the combination of El Niño and climate breakdown could devastate food supplies, particularly for farmers. The WMO emphasized the need for early-warning systems to mitigate impacts, though funding challenges remain. Guterres called for urgent climate action, including ending fossil fuel dependence and accelerating renewable energy adoption.
