The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that a strengthening El Niño could worsen heatwaves, floods and tropical cyclones into 2027 as global temperatures continue to rise.

The organisation disclosed this in its State of the Climate Update 2026, released on Monday at the opening of the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye.

According to the report, 2026 is on course to become one of the four warmest years on record, with global temperatures between January and September averaging 1.47 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The WMO said the developing El Niño, which is expected to continue into early 2027, could aggravate extreme weather and increase risks to public health, agriculture and food security.

It added that global sea levels had reached record highs, while ocean temperatures continued to rise and glaciers lost more than 400 gigatonnes of ice in 2025.

The report further revealed the human cost of extreme weather, including more than 30,000 estimated excess deaths from heatwaves, drought and wildfires in Europe.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged world leaders to accelerate emissions reductions, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and provide financial support to vulnerable countries.

The WMO stressed that reliable weather forecasts and effective disaster alert systems were essential to protecting lives and reducing the impact of climate-related disasters.