Bhubaneswar: A major El Nino event has become active in the Pacific Ocean, raising concerns among weather experts about its possible effects on global climate in the coming months.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared the arrival of El Nino conditions. The agency has also indicated a 63% likelihood that the event will turn into a very powerful one between November 2026 and January 2027, which could make it one of the strongest episodes observed since records began in 1950.
IMD scientist Uma Shankar Das shared this update on his X account, drawing attention to the development.
It is pertinent to mention that El Nino occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific become significantly warmer than usual. This change disrupts normal wind patterns and atmospheric circulation, often leading to noticeable shifts in weather across many parts of the world. These shifts can result in heavier than normal rainfall and flooding in some areas, while causing severe droughts and heatwaves in others.
Weather agencies had been expecting El Nino to return later this year. Recent ocean observations have now confirmed its formation, with models projecting that it will continue to gain strength during the latter half of 2026 and last into the early months of 2027.
Experts are now watching closely to assess how this developing El Nino will influence monsoon patterns, temperatures, and extreme weather events globally in the near future.