The developing El Niño climate event is now the strongest on record, according to scientists monitoring Pacific Ocean temperatures.
The powerful natural climate phenomenon pushes up global temperatures and can increase the risks of extreme weather.
Added to the effects of human-induced climate change, the Met Office is warning that it is “very likely” to mean 2027 is the hottest year on record globally.
There is growing evidence that weather patterns around the world are already being affected, with below-average monsoon rains in India and suppressed hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean.
There is no clear evidence that climate change is making El Niño events more likely, but its weather impacts are likely to be more extreme in a warming world.
Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Justin Rowlatt.
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