Horror 'Super El Niño’ warning as unprecedented phenomenon threatens mega-floods

Horror 'Super El Niño’ warning as unprecedented phenomenon threatens mega-floods The El Niño is likely to among the strongest ever recorded, scientists have warned. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Emily Wright , World News Reporter 14:06, Wed, Oct 21, 2026 Updated: 14:06, Wed, Oct 21, 2026 The El Niño is likely to among the strongest ever recorded, scientists have warned (Image: Getty) Scientists have issued an apocalyptic warning as a potentially catastrophic 'Super El Niño' begins to take hold, threatening to spark global mega- floods , record heat and soaring food prices. Experts have warned the looming phenomenon - which occurs every two to seven years - could become one of the strongest ever recorded since data collection began in 1950, with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) placing the odds of an unprecedented event at a staggering 83%. Satellite imagery released by NASA shows a terrifying massive ocean "bulge" forming across the equatorial Pacific. Warmer water naturally expands, causing sea surface heights along Pacific shorelines to swell up to 16 inches (40cm) above normal. According to University of Oxford ocean forecasting specialist Thomas Monahan, the surge along coastlines stretching from Mexico to Ecuador could temporarily raise sea levels by an amount equivalent to four to five decades of sea-level rise in a single season. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT "At the most affected regions, a high-water level normally reached about once every 52 days could be exceeded during up to half of all high waters," Mr Monahan warned, adding that sea heights are expected to peak between November and December. The extreme oceanic shift threatens massive erosion and relentless coastal flooding along the entire western coast of North and South America , stretching from Alaska to Chile. Equatorial regions will bear the brunt, with the Galapagos Islands facing sea-level rises of up to 16 inches and Peru and Ecuador bracing for up to 13 inches (33cm). Get the latest news from around the world and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Part of the natural El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle , El Niño occurs when warm water builds up in the central and eastern Pacific. However, scientists caution that rising global ocean temperatures caused by climate change are exacerbating its potential fallout. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Kim Jong-un's sister issues 'grave situation' statement as leader 'feared dead' | World | News | Express.co.uk Man and woman found dead in seaside town home While the most direct sea-level rises will strike the Pacific, the UK will not escape unscathed (Image: -) Head of Long-Range Forecasting at the Met Office , Professor Adam Scaife, confirmed: "Met Office predictions have been signalling for some time that this latest El Niño is likely to be a significant event - perhaps one of the most intense on record - with the potential to bring severe impacts to a number of regions of the world. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT "It is also highly likely that the El Niño will cause a temporary spike in global annual temperature, with the residual heat potentially making next year the hottest in the global series from 1850." While the most direct sea-level rises will strike the Pacific, the Met Office and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science have warned that the UK will not escape unscathed. El Niño fundamentally disrupts atmospheric circulation worldwide. For Britain, experts have warned the event threatens to bring wetter winters and severe storms, with previous strong El Niños having directly coincided with severe nationwide flooding and intense winter storms across the British Isles. It could also result in soaring supermarket bills, as the World Bank has warned that extreme floods and droughts in major agricultural regions will cripple global supply chains, driving up staple food prices . The effects of the monstrous weather event are expected to build rapidly through the rest of the year and persist well into 2027 . Climate change Flood Food prices Storm Supermarkets NASA Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments