El Niño reaches significant threshold ahead of hurricane season

The El Niño weather pattern has reached a significant milestone before the U.S. hurricane season's first major storm. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported on September 14 that El Niño has officially crossed the threshold to be classified as a "very strong event during the Northern Hemisphere fall and winter 2026-27," also known as a Super El Niño.

NOAA projects a 75% chance of a historic event exceeding the strength of previous El Niño events dating back to 1950 during the October-December 2026 season. Weekly sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific had reached the threshold of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, qualifying it for "super" status.

El Niño is a natural climate pattern occurring every two to seven years due to warmer-than-usual waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. This phenomenon weakens the winds that normally blow from west to east, disrupting typical weather patterns and potentially leading to more extreme meteorological events.

Historically, El Niño has intensified storms and flooding in the U.S., particularly in the Southeast and along the Gulf Coast. It can also increase the risk of wildfires and drought. The 2015 Super El Niño caused significant drought conditions in the Caribbean and Ethiopia.