The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned of an 80% chance of an El Nino developing between June and August, posing a significant threat to the world's climate and India's monsoon.
El Nino is a periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, which can last between nine and 12 months and disrupt global temperature and rainfall patterns.
In India, an El Nino is associated with a weaker monsoon and harsher summer, with the current El Nino expected to be moderate to strong.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the world to treat El Nino as an urgent climate warning, calling for climate action to mitigate its impacts.
Rainfall is likely to be below normal during the June–September southwest monsoon across much of South Asia, with the strongest signal over central regions.
The WMO has warned that the world must prepare for a potentially strong El Nino event, which will exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves.
