As the frequency and intensity of extreme events continue to rise, there is growing urgency to ensure we maximise the potential to prevent or minimise predictable climate-related impacts. Extreme climate events in 2025, such as drought in Somalia and Central Asia or devastating flooding in Asia, highlight the need for timely, accurate and actionable seasonal climate information and guidance to support preparedness, anticipatory action and crisis response.

Through practical illustration, this session will explore how co-development between humanitarian actors and meteorological, climate, hydrological and partner institutions can enhance the relevance and impact of seasonal climate information support provided to crisis-prone, fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Building on seasonal climate monitoring and forecast, and expert advice from WMO Members and Centres, and through continuous collaboration with humanitarian partners such as Start Network, Save the Children, and UNHCR, the WMO Coordination Mechanism (WCM) has shown how humanitarian risk priorities and operational contextual knowledge can shape more useful and actionable support. Monthly seasonal climate updates target priority regions, featuring regional climate centre outlooks and humanitarian partners’ plans to address anticipated impacts. This approach helps translate seasonal climate signals - such as El Niño/La Niña, and seasonal outlooks - into actionable information, improving global and local preparedness and early action. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that early action is informed by timely and trusted seasonal risk information and effectively embedded across all levels, reinforcing the Early Warnings for All vision.

The session will focus on:

• Demonstrating how strong partnerships - between WCM, its contributors, and humanitarian and UN agencies - help in co-designing meaningful information and products to support early action.
• Enabling more effective monitoring and use of information from WMO Members and Centres to meet humanitarian decision-making needs.
• Enhancing preparedness and strategic planning through the regular interpretation and communication of seasonal forecasts and climate drivers such as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
• Building shared skills in HydroMet and climate risk analysis and strategic planning, ensuring information is usable at multiple levels.
• Sharing practical experiences and evolving learning of how seasonal climate information is supporting local preparedness and anticipatory action across sectors and especially in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
• Honest discussion around the challenges and what is needed to break silos and find a common language between meteorological, climate and hydrological institutions and humanitarian partners, particularly local actors and communities.