Africa sweats, soaks, starves all at once as extreme weather hits ordinary people

A man wades through floodwaters in the Wadajir district of Mogadishu, Somalia, on May 10, 2025, following overnight rainfall. 

Photo credit: Reuters

When temperatures in South Sudan soared to 45°C in March last year, schools had to close. This was perhaps the starkest reminder yet that climate change is not just about rising heat but how it is upending daily life across Africa.

From floods to droughts, food crises to growing insecurity, extreme weather is hitting ordinary life, livelihoods and stalling development on the continent, the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Monday.