The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says January 2026 was marked by a surge in extreme weather events across the world, underscoring the urgent need for accurate forecasts and greater investment in early warning systems.
In its report, WMO noted that from record-breaking heatwaves and deadly wildfires to severe cold snaps, winter storms, heavy rainfall, and flooding, countries in every region experienced significant economic, environmental, and human losses.
National Meteorological and Hydrological Services were at the forefront of response efforts, issuing warnings and supporting disaster management as communities faced unprecedented conditions.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said the month’s events highlighted why extreme weather consistently ranks among the top global risks.
“It is no wonder that extreme weather consistently features as one of the top risks in the World Economic Forum’s flagship annual Global Risks Report. The number of people affected by weather and climate-related disasters continues to rise, year by year, and the terrible human impacts of this have been apparent on a day-by-day basis this January,” she said.
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She stated that the rising number of people affected by climate- and weather-related disasters reinforces the importance of the WMO-led Early Warnings for All initiative, which has been shown to drastically reduce disaster-related deaths.
“This is what drives us to expand and accelerate the Early Warnings for All initiative because disaster-related deaths are six times lower in countries with good early warning coverage,” she said.
The agency confirmed that long-term global warming is fuelling more frequent and intense extremes, with 2026 ranking among the three warmest years on record.
January alone saw extreme heat and wildfires in Australia, Chile, and Argentina; severe winter storms and record snowfall across parts of North America, Europe, and Russia; and devastating floods in southern Africa, particularly Mozambique and South Africa, where hundreds of thousands were displaced.
WMO said its Coordination Mechanism played a key role in providing expert guidance to humanitarian agencies and ensuring consistent, authoritative alerts through the Common Alerting Protocol.
As climate risks intensify, the organisation emphasised that expanding early warning coverage, strengthening climate services, and improving preparedness remain critical to saving lives and protecting livelihoods worldwide.