The World Meteorological Organization warned on Friday that the El Niño phenomenon has already begun and is expected to intensify rapidly between July and September, increasing the likelihood of severe weather events.

The organization said the climate phenomenon will gain strength quickly, calling on countries to prepare for its impacts.

El Niño leads to warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, causing global changes in wind patterns, atmospheric pressure, and rainfall.

The phenomenon occurs every two to seven years and lasts between nine and 12 months.

Climate phenomena alternate between El Niño and its opposite La Niña, with periods of neutral conditions in between.

The World Meteorological Organization's monthly global seasonal climate update report indicates that 'the El Niño phenomenon is likely to develop rapidly into a strong level during the period from July to September.'

The UN agency classifies El Niño into four categories: weak, moderate, strong, and very strong, meaning it is likely to reach the third highest level out of four.

The meteorological organization said, 'El Niño conditions have already formed in the tropical Pacific and are expected to intensify rapidly in the coming months, increasing the likelihood of severe weather events in many parts of the world.'

The agency, based in Geneva, announced that forecasts from global climate centers, based on various models, indicate a steady and significant rise in water temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific.

It added that 'the average rise in sea surface temperatures above normal levels is expected to exceed two degrees Celsius in key monitoring areas.'

It continued, 'The impact of El Niño is expected to continue increasing during the autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and to extend across many regions of the world.'

The last El Niño contributed to making 2023 the second hottest year on record, while 2024 recorded the highest average temperature in history, with a rise of about 1.55 degrees Celsius above the average temperature levels in the pre-industrial period (1850-1900).

Heat waves -

While El Niño typically peaks between November and February, the rise in temperatures usually comes later.

Alvaro Silva, a climate scientist at the World Meteorological Organization, confirmed that 'the effects of El Niño will continue in various regions until the end of the year and beyond, and even into 2027.'

The organization announced that it is enhancing its support for early warning systems to help guide preparedness efforts, especially in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture and health.

The organization's chief, Celeste Saulo, stressed that these measures are 'essential to save lives and mitigate the impacts on our economies and societies.'

She added that 'El Niño conditions have already begun and are expected to intensify rapidly to become a strong phenomenon.'

She continued, 'This will increase the likelihood of droughts and heavy rainfall, and will also raise the risk of heatwaves over land and marine heatwaves in many areas.'

Rising temperatures -

The report expects temperatures to exceed normal levels in most land areas between 60 degrees south and 60 degrees north latitude, including almost all inhabited areas outside polar regions.

The rainfall forecasts for the period between July and September are consistent with the strengthening of El Niño, with areas including the southwestern United States likely to experience above-normal rainfall, while below-normal rainfall is expected in the Indian subcontinent and most of Australia.

The organization confirms that there is no evidence that climate change increases the frequency or intensity of El Niño.

However, the organization believes that it could worsen its impacts because the warming of oceans and atmosphere provides more energy and moisture necessary for severe weather events, such as heatwaves and heavy rains.

During the summer in the Northern Hemisphere, warm waters associated with El Niño may fuel hurricanes in the central and eastern Pacific, while limiting their development in the Atlantic.

On Thursday, Peru declared a 60-day state of emergency in 800 out of 1,800 municipalities due to the 'imminent danger' of heavy rainfall linked to El Niño.

Peruvian authorities also warned more than 9.3 million people of a very high risk of floods and landslides.