Published: June 5, 2026 • 7:45 PM IST · Updated: June 5, 2026 • 8:11 PM ISTBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team
Key points· Video
A new phase of the natural El Niño weather pattern is "on our doorstep", according to UN scientists, boosting temperatures on a planet already under strain from climate change.
The World Meteorological Organization said El Niño is “very likely” to officially begin within the next few months, driving more extreme weather around much of the globe.
Several forecasts from national weather agencies suggest this El Niño could end up as one of the strongest ever recorded, nicknamed by some as a possible “super” or even “Godzilla” event.
Yet El Niño is not just a climate story - throughout history, this recurring weather pattern has helped shape global events, triggering everything from famines and revolutions to impacting the Cold War.
In this episode, we speak to historian Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History at Oxford, to discuss what historical El Niños tell us about what could be coming our way, and...