El Niño and La Niña are not distant oceanic terms. They are among the world’s most powerful natural climate patterns, capable of changing rainfall, temperature, storms, droughts and food security across continents. According to the BBC, La Niña has ended and El Niño is expected to develop later in 2026, with some forecasts warning that it could become a strong event.
During El Niño, warm surface waters spread across the central and eastern tropical Pacific, weakening normal wind patterns and pushing global temperatures upward. This can intensify heat, disturb rainfall, affect fisheries, damage crops and stress energy and water systems. In South Asia, such shifts can worsen heat and create uncertainty in rainfall patterns, making climate preparedness essential.
El Niño is a natural phenomenon, but it now operates in a world already overheated by human-driven climate change. Governments cannot treat this as a routine weather cycle. Disaster planning, water conservation, farmer protection, heat action plans and rapid emission cuts must become urgent priorities.
