Super El Niño Pushes 2026 Towards Record Heat as COP31 Opens
A warming planet and an intensifying El Niño are combining as COP31 begins, with warnings of more extreme weather, food shortages and disease outbreaks.
By Hushread Stories, from 8 outlets · First published 9 Nov 2026
In brief
- The World Meteorological Organization reports that 2026 is set to rank among the four hottest years recorded.
- Earth's average temperature in 2026 is reported at 1.47°C above preindustrial levels, with further increases possible.
- Heat is accumulating in Earth's systems at an accelerating rate, raising the threat of more extreme weather.
- COP31 opens in Turkey as scientists warn that the strong El Niño could extend the crisis into 2027.
- Food shortages and disease outbreaks are expected, prompting calls to address the climate event's health consequences together.
Timeline · 4 moments
Nature warns of food shortages and disease outbreaks
Nature ↗UN weather agency warns heat accumulation is accelerating
Top Stories ↗2026 temperature reported at 1.47°C above preindustrial levels
Notícias ao Minuto ↗COP31 opens in Turkey alongside annual climate bulletin
Le Monde ↗How it started
The super El Niño is arriving on a planet that is already exceptionally warm. Le Monde describes that collision as the World Meteorological Organization publishes its annual climate bulletin alongside the opening of COP31 in Turkey.
The concern extends beyond this year's temperature ranking. Earth's systems are accumulating heat at an accelerating rate, according to the UN weather agency's findings reported by Top Stories. The agency warns that the additional heat will intensify extreme weather.
How it unfolded
On November 9, as COP31 opened, Le Monde reported that 2026 would be one of the hottest years ever recorded. The climate bulletin puts the talks against a backdrop of exceptional warmth.
The same day, Notícias ao Minuto reported that Earth's average temperature in 2026 stood at 1.47°C above preindustrial levels. Its coverage said temperatures could rise further over the coming months as El Niño intensifies.
The effects described in the update reach beyond air temperatures. The Daily Mail reported that the WMO State of the Climate Update 2026 linked the extreme event to exceptional global temperatures, melting ice and rising sea levels.
Also on November 9, Nature highlighted the health implications. Food shortages and disease outbreaks are to be expected, its coverage warned, and need to be addressed together.
Where it stands
The current assessment places 2026 among the four warmest years recorded, according to Notícias ao Minuto. That is not yet a final declaration that it will be the hottest year outright: the BBC describes El Niño as pushing the world towards record heat.
The immediate concern is the combination of exceptional warmth and its consequences. The accelerating accumulation of heat reported by Top Stories points to greater extreme weather risks, while Nature warns that food and disease threats require a coordinated response.
What to watch
The strength and duration of El Niño are central uncertainties. Business Line - Home reports that a strong event could carry the crisis into 2027 and intensify heatwaves and rainfall extremes.
Temperatures over the coming months will also determine where 2026 ultimately ranks. Notícias ao Minuto reports that further warming is possible as the event intensifies, while COP31 is only beginning, according to Le Monde.
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