Super El Niño Is Here and It's About to Make 2026's Hottest Year Even Worse

The powerful climate pattern known as El Niño has returned, and it is already causing unusual weather around the world [240719]. This year's event is unusually strong, sometimes called a "super El Niño," and scientists warn there is more to come [240719].

El Niño is a natural warming of the Pacific Ocean that changes weather patterns globally, affecting rainfall, temperatures, and storms [240719]. This year, it is forming on a planet already hotter than at any time on record, after the world just lived its hottest month ever [240915][239262]. The average global surface temperature reached 16.96 degrees Celsius in August 2026 [239262].

Scientists say this El Niño could rank among the strongest on record, and its effects are already visible [240719]. Expect more extreme weather in the months ahead: some regions will face heavy flooding, while others will suffer severe drought, and heatwaves may become more common [240719]. The result is likely to be more extreme heat, floods, and droughts around the world [240915].

The effects are already hitting communities. In Cameroon, heavy rain flooded large parts of Douala, the country's economic capital, and the meteorological service warns residents to prepare for even heavier rainfall in the coming days [239931]. In the United Kingdom, the Met Office warns that El Niño may bring wetter weather and a higher risk of flooding this autumn and early winter [238422].

The impacts are not felt equally. A new report reveals that homeowners in Hispanic neighborhoods in Florida pay an average of $5,014 more each year for property insurance, a disparity that shows how extreme weather is affecting minority communities differently as climate change makes storms worse [239794].

Scientists say this powerful El Niño may also help communities prepare for what is coming as the climate continues to warm [240915]. Now governments and communities are preparing for what may come next [240719].