While Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), climate change is not sparing other regions of the world.

A report published on May 18 by the same organization reveals that Latin America also faced record temperatures and an alarming increase in extreme weather events in 2025. “Record-breaking heat, persistent drought, extreme rainfall and devastating tropical cyclones impacted communities and economies throughout Latin America and the Caribbean in 2025,” says the WMO. This disrupted the lives of residents and the economy of this region of the world, a popular destination for travelers, notes the organization.

The United Nations agency that is the authority on weather, climate, and water issues based its findings on meteorological and hydrological data from the countries concerned, as well as information obtained from several climate research institutes.

Intense and rapid warming

By comparing temperature data since the beginning of the 20th century, the WMO observed that the period from 1991 to 2025 saw the most intense and rapid warming, with an average increase of approximately 0.25°C per decade.

The last three years have been the three warmest ever recorded for this region of the globe.

The WMO has identified several heat waves exceeding 40°C, which are attributable to an average of 13,000 deaths annually, according to statistics compiled in 17 countries between 2012 and 2021. This data “suggests a significant underestimate of heat related mortality and there is a need for improved reporting,” warns the WMO, which recommends, in particular, standardizing reports related to heat-related morbidity and mortality, as well as integrating early weather warnings into public health mechanisms.

Global warming is also accelerating glacial melt. In doing so, sea levels are rising faster than the global average in some areas of the tropical Atlantic.

The WMO estimates that the rate of ocean warming between 2005 and 2025 was more than twice that observed in the previous half-century, reaching unprecedented temperatures.

Average sea surface temperatures have reached record highs in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and off the coast of Chile.

This warming of the waters is impacting marine ecosystems and fisheries, as ocean surface waters have continued to acidify in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This acidification is attributable to the absorption of more than a quarter of annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities.

Rising water temperatures also indirectly influence hurricane paths.

Extreme weather and public health

The report, State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025, indicates that "agro-food systems are exposed to extreme weather and climate shocks," such as hurricanes, droughts, and torrential rains, and that the water supply for Latin American populations is threatened in the long term. As a result, populations will find it increasingly difficult to feed themselves and countries will struggle to export, jeopardizing public health and local economies.

The WMO reports that Latin America and the Caribbean are experiencing increasingly extreme weather patterns, alternating between intense periods of drought, which increase the risk of forest fires, and episodes of torrential rain.

Last year, more than 110,000 Peruvians and Ecuadorians were affected by floods and deluges, which also caused 83 deaths in October. These hazards also triggered landslides and caused considerable damage to infrastructure, the organization notes. Hurricane Melissa alone was responsible for 45 deaths and $8.8 billion in economic losses in Jamaica. In October 2025, Melissa became the first ever Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the country. The hurricane also caused significant damage elsewhere in the Caribbean, including in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, where 46 deaths were reported.

Better prevention

According to WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, “while risks are growing, so too is our capacity to anticipate and act to save lives and protect livelihoods.”

As climate hazards are more likely than ever, although unpredictable, governments and emergency response authorities must ensure their response protocols are up-to-date and incorporate the latest scientific and climate data, Saulo says. She adds that climate disasters increasingly demonstrate the importance of integrating risk analysis into public and economic decisions.

In Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa highlighted the need to develop multi-hazard probabilistic assessments to better guide land-use planning, updates to building codes, and investments in strategic sectors such as tourism, energy, telecommunications, and water infrastructure.

While risk transfer mechanisms remain essential to protect public and private finances after a disaster, the WMO maintains that true resilience requires a proactive approach integrated into governance, planning, and investment decisions.