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Huge regions in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea are currently running around 5°C (9°F) above average temperatures as a ‘Godzilla’ El Niño is thought to be imminent.
Public concerns are growing after scientists have confirmed their forecasts for a ‘super El Niño’ to hit.
This comes as new satellite data unveiled ongoing heatwaves impacting areas just off the coast of France, Spain and Monaco.
Experts are said to be keeping a close eye on this evolving weather pattern as it can have further climate repercussions.
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Prolonged periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures could put huge stress on sea life and damage nearby ecosystems.
The increased temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean could also influence weather patterns across Europe, leading to stronger storms and more unpredictable weather.
Earlier this month, the United Nations (UN) confirmed that the extreme weather event is expected to arrive imminently, warning the public about hotter temperatures and more extreme weather around the world.
El Niño confirmation: @WMO has confirmed the onset of El Niño, warning it could drive hotter temperatures and more extreme weather worldwide. It’s urgent that countries invest in early warning systems to help communities prepare. #Climate #ElNiño pic.twitter.com/P8jESwBXRo
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) June 2, 2026
This comes after the UN previously warned of a 91% probability that Earth will cross a major climate threshold by 2030.
The UN shared a clip of WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo discussing the potential repercussions, where she warned that the El Niño is expected to ‘influence weather and climate patterns around the world in the months ahead’.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has shared concerns that this El Niño could result in devastating conditions for vulnerable and unprepared communities worldwide.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres explained: “The science is clear: El Niño is arriving on our doorstep in the coming months with 90% certainty. The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is.
“El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world. Impacts will hit even harder, travel even farther, and cross borders with devastating speed.
“The only effective response is climate action equal to the crisis - ending the addiction to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable, and delivering early warning systems for all.”
An El Niño is a complex climate pattern involving the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern part of the Pacific Ocean.
When this happens it leads to knock-on effects with weather globally, including the shifting of rainfall patterns, leading to floods and droughts in certain areas.
El Niños have been classified for over 500 years, with the name actually originating from a Spanish fisherman who likened the weather event to the birth of Jesus Christ, as it typically happened around Christmas.
