World · India Bureau
2026 poised to be second-hottest year on record as El Niño strengthens
Global climate forecasters warn that 2026 is likely to rank as the second-warmest year in recorded history, with powerful El Niño conditions expected to drive temperatures higher across the planet.
LSN India ·
Climate scientists are increasingly confident that 2026 will experience near-record global temperatures as a strong El Niño climate pattern develops. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has projected that while 2026 is unlikely to surpass 2024's record heat levels, it will come remarkably close as a runner-up for the hottest year on record.
El Niño, a periodic warming of ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, typically leads to elevated global temperatures and altered weather patterns worldwide. The anticipated strength of the coming El Niño is driving forecasters' assessments that 2026 will see significant heat accumulation, with potential implications for weather systems, agricultural output, and climate-sensitive regions across Asia and beyond.
The projection underscores the broader trend of rising global temperatures in recent years. Scientists have documented that multiple years in the past decade have ranked among the warmest on record, reflecting long-term climate change patterns alongside shorter-term oceanic cycles like El Niño.
For nations in South and Southeast Asia, such temperature patterns raise concerns about heat stress, water availability, and monsoon variability. Regional meteorological agencies are monitoring the developing conditions closely as communities prepare for potential climate impacts in the coming years.