London: The El Ni±o event that is developing over the Pacific Ocean is likely to be the strongest in living memory, the UK Met Office has warned. This powerful natural climate phenomenon is known for pushing up global temperatures and increasing the risks of extreme weather.

According to Emirates News Agency, the Met Office has indicated that when combined with the effects of human-induced climate change, it is "very likely" that 2027 will become the hottest year on record globally. There is increasing evidence that global weather patterns are already being affected, with below-average monsoon rains in India and reduced hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean being observed.

This El Ni±o could also place the UK at a greater risk of experiencing a wet, stormy autumn, with signs of a very unsettled weather pattern already appearing in long-range forecasts. Prof Adam Scaife, head of long-range forecasting at the UK Met Office, stated, "We should be clear that this is an unprecedented event. I have never seen an El Ni±o signal this intense in our forecasts."

While there is no clear evidence that climate change is increasing the likelihood of El Ni±o events, their weather impacts are expected to be more extreme in a warming world.