El Niño could reach record intensity, UN weather agency warns

Sea temperatures in the region have never been as high in the 40 years since records began, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said in Geneva.

According to climate models, temperatures in the Pacific could rise to 3.8 degrees Celsius above the long-term average, compared with the previous record deviation of around 3 degrees.

An El Niño event is considered to have begun when temperatures rise at least 0.5 degrees above normal, Saulo said.

The naturally occurring weather phenomenon, which develops every few years, can trigger severe droughts or exceptionally heavy rainfall, depending on the region. Europe is generally less affected by its impacts.