What you need to know about “Super” El Niño
A graph of tropical sea surface temperatures shows waters were warmer than average on Aug. 19, 2026. Climate Prediction Center
El Niño is here which means the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is rapidly warming. This phenomenon can affect weather patterns worldwide from hurricanes, winter storms, drought and rising temperatures.
But some forecasters and media outlets have described this year’s El Niño as a possible “super” El Niño due to its potential intensity.
Associate Professor in the Department of Climate, Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Deanna Hence and Research Associate Professor in the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science at the University of Miami Emily Becker discuss what El Niño and its potential impacts.
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