El Niño's rise fuels global climate extremes, scientists warn of further heat

The planet is experiencing unprecedented climate stress, evidenced by widespread wildfires, prolonged heatwaves in major cities, historically low river levels like the Danube, and sea surface temperatures previously considered theoretically impossible. Satellite imagery and oceanographic data reveal a critical climatic situation.

Despite the intense heat felt globally this summer, which many perceive as the most extreme on record, average global temperature measurements currently place this year slightly behind the records of 2024 and 2025. However, climate scientists caution that the peak of these heat extremes may still lie ahead. The dynamic energy balance of the planet suggests a high probability that current trends could be reversed before the year concludes, potentially leading to even higher temperatures.

At the heart of this amplified climate dynamic is the El Niño phenomenon. Characterized by the periodic warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, El Niño is rapidly intensifying. Predictive models converge on the assessment that this event is evolving into one of the most powerful episodes since systematic records began in 1950.

Scientists explain that El Niño acts as a potent accelerator on a climate system already overheated by the cumulative emission of greenhouse gases. Research from institutions like Berkeley Earth and Climate Central indicates that while human-induced climate change is the primary driver of rising temperatures, El Niño adds an extra surge of energy to this long-term warming trend. This interaction is particularly critical for marine ecosystems, which absorb about 90% of the excess heat generated by climate change. Data from the European Copernicus service shows that 82% of the ocean surface is experiencing "marine heatwave" conditions.