Extreme weather cascades across continents as storms, floods, and drought intensify
Extreme weather cascaded globally in April 2026 across cyclones, floods, and drought as interconnected climate impacts intensified.
Event / Science
Global Climate Crisis 2026
Record ocean temperatures, extreme marine heatwaves, and severe weather events reported globally in April-May 2026. Arctic sea ice at historic lows. Scientists project 2027 will be warmest year on record, with El Niño conditions returning.
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2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 8 May, 13:06 UTC
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What happened
Tropical cyclones struck Pacific region in April 2026
Multiple extreme weather phenomena marked April 2026, including tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean.
Deadly flooding and landslides strike Arabian Peninsula and surrounding regions
Major flooding affected a large portion of the Arabian Peninsula, while regions in Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria experienced significant inundations and landslides, causing numerous deaths.
Arctic sea ice reconstruction remained limited through winter 2025-2026
Copernicus confirmed that Arctic sea ice had undergone minimal reconstruction during winter 2025-2026, with ice surface areas approaching historically low levels.
World Meteorological Organization forecasts El Niño return from May to July 2026
The World Meteorological Organization warned that the return of El Niño was increasingly probable from May to July 2026, as the opposing La Niña phenomenon was fading. Forecasts were based on observed temperatures in a Pacific Ocean zone.
Record marine heatwaves across Pacific and North American coasts
Extreme marine heatwaves are traversing a vast region extending from the central equatorial Pacific to the west coasts of the United States and Mexico, with temperatures reaching record levels.
Flooding strikes Middle East and Central/South Asia in April 2026
Extreme flooding affected the Middle East and Central and Southern Asia in April 2026, among multiple severe weather events during the month.
Extreme weather events increasing in frequency globally
Climate officials noted that extreme weather phenomena are occurring with increasing frequency globally. Each month brings additional data confirming that climate change is driving these extreme events.
Drought conditions spread across southern Africa in April 2026
Southern Africa experienced severe drought conditions during April 2026, as part of broader extreme weather phenomena affecting multiple regions.
Ocean surface temperatures near 2024 record in April 2026
Global ocean surface temperatures (excluding polar regions) nearly matched the absolute 2024 record in April 2026, according to the European climate observatory Copernicus monthly report. Climate officials warned that ocean temperature records for May 2026 were expected within days.
Europe forecast to experience above-average summer temperatures and below-average rainfall
Copernicus forecast that Europe will experience above-average temperatures and below-normal rainfall during the summer of 2026, which could increase drought risks and wildfire hazards.
April 2026 ranks third warmest April globally on record
Combining ocean and land temperatures, April 2026 ranked in the third position among the warmest Aprils ever recorded at the global scale.
2027 projected to become warmest year on record, surpassing 2024
Climatologists including Zeke Hausfather from Berkeley Earth project that 2027 will set a new annual temperature record, surpassing 2024. Samantha Burgess from Copernicus judged it probable that 2027 will exceed 2024 and become the warmest year ever recorded, due to the combined effects of natural El Niño cycles and human-caused climate warming.
Next El Niño expected to be more powerful than 2023-2024 episode
Some meteorological agencies forecast that the next El Niño event will be more powerful than the episode three years prior, potentially rivaling the 'super El Niño' of 1997-1998.
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2 alternative perspectives
El Niño set to return in 2026, pushing 2027 toward record warmth
El Niño returns in 2026, expected to make 2027 the warmest year on record.
Ocean temperatures approach 2024 records as marine heatwaves intensify
Global ocean temperatures near record highs with intense marine heatwaves across Pacific regions in April 2026.