Presenting the regional state of the climate report covering the past year on Monday, experts described how Temperatures remain well above average, with sea levels rising and extreme weather events increasing. in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The report warns that climate crises are increasingly disrupting food production, straining health systems and threatening access to clean water across the region as extreme weather becomes more severe and more frequent.
Threat to life and health.
In 2025, intense heat waves raised temperatures above 40°C in much of the region, including a Record of 52.7°C in Mexico. Brazil and Paraguay also recorded temperatures above 44°C.
The WMO warned that extreme heat is becoming a major public health threat, especially for vulnerable communities with limited access to healthcare, cooling and reliable electricity.
Many countries still do not routinely track heat-related deaths, but the report estimates about 13,000 people died annually from heat-related causes in 17 countries between 2012 and 2021..
Food insecurity deepens
More and more extreme Rain patterns are worsening humanitarian conditions. across the region, and communities face cycles of devastating floods and prolonged droughts.
In 2025, floods affected more than 110,000 people in Peru and Ecuador, while floods in Mexico killed 83 people and caused widespread damage to infrastructure and landslides.
At the same time, a severe drought affected up to 85 percent of Mexico, creating significant water shortages for crops and reservoirs even though the country experienced its wettest June on record.
Water shortages were also reported across the Caribbean, while drought conditions in southern South America increased agricultural losses and wildfire risks.
The WMO warned that worsening climate extremes are putting increasing pressure on agricultural production and food processing (agri-food) systems, threatening livelihoods, food access and rural communities across the region.
Melting glaciers threaten water supply
The rapid retreat of glaciers in the Andes is also raising alarm about future water security.
Andean glaciers provide fresh water to almost 90 million people people, supporting drinking water, agriculture, hydroelectric energy and industry.
However, glaciers in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina are melting at a rapid rate, increasing the risk of flooding and long-term water shortages.
“The signs of a changing climate are unmistakable across Latin America and the Caribbean,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, warning of accelerating glacier loss, rising sea levels, tropical cyclones, floods and droughts.
“The State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 is not just a scientific publication. It’s a call to action. It calls on us to strengthen observations, invest in services, close early warning gaps and ensure that climate information reaches those who need it most,” he says.
Hurricanes and sea level rise
The report also highlighted the growing danger posed by rapidly intensifying storms.
Hurricane Melissa became the first Category 5 hurricane on record to make landfall in Jamaica in October 2025. killing 45 people and causing economic losses equivalent to more than 41 percent of the country’s GDP.
Meanwhile, rising sea levels and warming oceans increase risks to coastal communities, fisheries and marine ecosystems along the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts.
Sea levels in parts of the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean are increasing faster than the world average.
WMO officials warned that without urgent investment in climate adaptation, disaster preparedness and early warning systems, humanitarian needs across the region will likely only worsen.