António Guterres says "this is only a warm-up act" on early extreme‑weather signs from El Niño

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned Friday that the extreme weather already seen this year is only an early sign of what is to come as a strengthening El Niño adds to the effects of human-caused global warming. His comments followed reports from Columbia University scientists that a key Pacific Ocean temperature index has set records for intensity this early in the phenomenon’s lifecycle, with the event not expected to peak for months. The U.N. weather agency cautioned that the natural equatorial Pacific warming could bring severe heat, drought, and rainfall into next year, with potential impacts in Asia, Australia, South America, Africa, and elsewhere. Scientists said it may ultimately reach record strength, though not guaranteed.