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Last Update: 09/22/2026 at 11:33 PM EST

El Niño Threatens 2026 Heat

Coverage from Japan Today, Climate Uncensored, and others

El Niño Threatens 2026 Heat topic image

Climate forecasts indicate that El Niño could develop during mid-to-late 2026 after a transition from La Niña through neutral conditions.

The event would likely raise global average temperatures temporarily and shift rainfall, drought, flood, monsoon, and storm patterns across multiple regions, potentially contributing to exceptionally warm conditions in 2026 or 2027. Forecast interpretation is also changing as NOAA adopts a relative index designed for a warming tropical Pacific.

Looking Back
179 Day Timeline
Feb 20Mar 20May 1May 29Jul 10Aug 7
History
08/24/2026

The story shifts from an expected strong or potentially record-breaking El Niño to a lower-confidence, 50–62% possibility emerging after a prolonged La Niña. NOAA’s adoption of a warming-adjusted index adds a methodological change, while marine cloud brightening introduces a speculative mitigation angle.

All Articles52 articles
Additional52 articles · CI Score below 45
Japan Today / Laurent THOMET
El Niño Could Return In 2026, Raising Global Temperatures
3/3/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Uncensored / James Hansen
Why 2026 Could Surpass 2024 As The Hottest Year
7/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Carbon Brief / Zeke Hausfather
El Niño Raises Odds Of Record-Warm 2026
7/24/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Yale Climate Connections / Bob Henson
2026–27 El Niño May Be Strongest On Record
7/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Yale Climate Connections / Bob Henson
Models Forecast A Record-Strength 2026-27 El Niño
7/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The Washington Post / Ben Noll and John Muyskens
Forecast Shows El Niño Could Become The Strongest On Record
7/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Weather.com / Jonathan Belles
NOAA Warns 2026 El Niño Could Rank Among Strongest On Record
7/9/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Earth.Org / Martina Igini
NOAA Forecasts Stronger Pacific Hurricane Season As El Niño Forms
5/26/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
POLITICO
Europe Logs Record Heat As Scientists Warn Of Stronger El Niño
4/29/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Jimehansen / James Hansen
Super El Nino Or Super Warming?
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Futura-Sciences
El Niño May Return In 2026, Raising Global Temperatures
3/15/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Futura-Sciences / Molongui Authorship Pro
El Niño Likely In 2026, Could Raise Global Temperatures
3/15/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
York's Max Country 104.9 / Sybre Waaijer
El Nino Likely To Return This Year, Impacts Uncertain
3/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Rural Radio Network / Sybre Waaijer
El Nino Likely To Return In 2026, Strength And Impacts Uncertain
3/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
KMOR / Sybre Waaijer
El Nino Likely To Return In 2026; Strength And Impacts Uncertain
3/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
JAM Broadcasting
El Nino Likely To Return In 2026; Strength Uncertain
3/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Abcaudio / Al Seib
El Nino Likely To Return In 2026; Strength, Impacts Uncertain
3/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
KUOW Public Radio / Lauren Sommer
El Niño Likely This Summer, Likely To Raise Global Temperatures
3/12/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Azpm / AZPM Staff
Strong El Niño Likely To Boost Global Temperatures In 2026–27
3/12/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
WUFT
Strong El Niño Expected To Raise Global Temperatures
3/12/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Azpm / AZPM Staff
El Niño Likely To Boost Global Temperatures In 2026–27
3/12/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Euronews.com / Liam Gilliver
El Niño Return Could Push 2026 Temperatures To Records
3/3/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Euronews.com / Liam Gilliver
El Niño Could Return In 2026, Raising Global Temps
3/3/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Phys.org / Laurent Thomet
El Niño Could Return In 2026, Pushing Global Temperatures Higher
3/2/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
El Nino could return this year and make Earth even hotter. What you ... if valid
El Nino Could Return In 2026, Raising Global Temperatures
3/2/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
الشرق الأوسط
El Nino Return Could Boost Global Temperatures In 2026
3/2/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
KOMO
El Niño Labeling Changes Reflect Rapid Ocean Warming
2/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Euronews.com / global warming
El Nino Relabelling Explains Recent Temperature Spike
2/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
1News
El Niño Relabelled As Global Temperatures Spike
2/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
WTOP News / Sybre Waaijer
El Nino Labeling Updated As Temperatures Spike
2/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
CityNews Halifax / Seth Borenstein
NOAA Updates El Nino Labeling As Warming Drives Temperature Spike
2/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The Climate Brink / Zeke Hausfather
2026–27 El Niño Could Be The Strongest Ever Observed
7/13/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The Conversation / Dillon Amaya
El Niño Forecast Points To Worsening Marine Heat Waves
6/12/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Mother Jones / Molly Taft
Could Cloud Brightening Reduce Future El Niño Impacts?
7/12/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Yale Climate Connections / Irene Sans
El Niño Raises Odds Of A Quiet 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season
6/11/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Fortune
NOAA Warns Of Historically Strong El Niño This Fall
7/9/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The Climate Brink / Zeke Hausfather
Strong El Niño Likely In Late 2026
3/12/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
New Scientist
Scientists Predict 2026 Could Be The Hottest Year On Record
5/1/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Time / Simmone Shah
Scientists Warn A Strong El Niño Could Raise 2026 Heat Records
4/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The Climate Brink / Andrew Dessler
Why A 2027 El Niño Won’t Fully Preview Future Climate
8/17/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
AOL
NOAA Says El Niño Could Turn Very Strong Later In 2026
5/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
AOL
NOAA Says La Niña Has Ended, El Niño Likely Later In 2026
4/9/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
TPR Texas Public Radio / Rebecca Hersher
El Niño Likely To Boost Global Temperatures This Summer
3/15/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
KBEAR 92.3 / Sybre Waaijer
El Nino Likely To Return This Year, Strength Uncertain
3/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
SSBCrack News
El Niño Expected To Return In 2026, Affecting Weather And Temperatures
3/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Phys
El Niño Could Return In 2026, Raising Global Temperature Risks
3/3/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
INQUIRER.net / Agence France-Presse
El Niño Could Return In 2026, Raising Global Temperatures
3/2/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Meteorological Organization
ENSO Neutral Likely As La Niña Fades; El Niño Odds Rise
3/2/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Noticias Ambientales
Strong El Niño Returns In 2026, Raising Global Heat Risks
3/4/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Noticias Ambientales
El Niño 2026: Strong Return Raises Global Temperature Risks
3/4/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The Jerusalem Post
NOAA Warns El Nif1o Could Become Very Strong
6/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Earth.Org / Martina Igini
El Niño Returns In 2026: Risks Of Unusual Heat And Weather
3/16/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General