Context
A Climate Impact Lab report estimates that the ongoing Super El Niño could cause about 15,800 additional heat-related deaths in India between September 2026 and February 2027. India’s southwest monsoon rainfall deficit was also about 15% below normal up to September 22, 2026.
Explanation
- El Niño is the abnormal warming of surface waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, forming the warm phase of ENSO (El Niño–Southern Oscillation).
- It weakens the normal easterly trade winds and alters the Walker Circulation, affecting atmospheric circulation worldwide.
- A Super El Niño is an informal term for an exceptionally strong El Niño, marked by unusually high Pacific sea-surface temperatures (SSTs).
- El Niño generally raises global mean temperatures because the tropical Pacific releases more stored heat into the atmosphere.
- In India, El Niño is often associated with a weaker southwest monsoon and increased drought risk, though the relationship is not one-to-one.
- Its impacts may include heatwaves, rainfall deficits, crop stress, wildfires, higher electricity demand and heat-related mortality.
La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2026 preparation.
FOLLOW US ON:
◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam
◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS
◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/
GET IN TOUCH:
Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/
or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140
OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020
Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524, Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081
Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040