Unusually Strong El Niño May Cause 450,000 Extra Heat Deaths

An unusually strong El Niño — the Pacific warming cycle that disrupts weather — could cause over 450,000 extra heat deaths through February 2027, the University of Chicago's Climate Impact Lab projects, versus a typical year. Researchers estimate land temperatures up 1.2C and 44% more extremely hot days, hitting poorer, food-insecure countries hardest.