Forecasters warn that the current El Niño weather pattern (a periodic warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean that disrupts weather systems worldwide) is on track to become the most powerful ever recorded. The phenomenon is expected to drive extreme weather events across multiple continents, including severe droughts in parts of Africa and Asia, intensified hurricanes in the Americas, and unusually heavy rainfall in other regions. Scientists say the record-breaking intensity raises urgent concerns about food security, water supplies, and the compounding effects of climate change on already vulnerable populations.