UN forecasters warn of intensifying extreme weather as El Niño strengthens

The World Meteorological Organization has warned of an increased likelihood of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall, as the El Niño climate pattern is set to intensify, Al Jazeera reported. El Niño, a periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean, tends to raise global temperatures and shift rainfall patterns worldwide.

The immediate effects are already visible. Forecasters expect very high temperatures during the knockout game between France and Paraguay in Philadelphia this weekend, raising concerns for players and spectators, The Hindu reported. Organizers have faced repeated questions about heat during the tournament across North America.

Beyond sport, intensifying weather has economic consequences. Heatwaves reduce labor productivity and strain power grids, droughts damage harvests in commodity-producing regions, and heavy rainfall disrupts transport and supply chains. Each of these leads to price pressure and, at times, political instability in vulnerable economies.

Markets have historically treated weather as a minor factor, but the frequency and severity of recent events are making climate risk a central consideration in decisions about agriculture, energy and insurance.