Scientists are warning that a powerful El Niño weather pattern could bring a summer of intense heat and volatile weather across large portions of the United States.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, there is now an 80% chance of an El Niño developing between June and August 2026 and a 90% chance it will continue through at least November.
The agency warned the event could bring extreme heat “nearly everywhere,” including the United States.
While the climate establishment continues pushing political narratives tied to every weather event, El Niño itself is not new. It is a naturally occurring Pacific Ocean weather pattern that has operated for centuries and cycles between warm El Niño and cool La Niña phases every two to seven years.
Still, forecasters say this year’s pattern is shaping up to be unusually strong.
According to the WMO, sea-surface temperatures in the central-eastern Equatorial Pacific are nearing El Niño thresholds while subsurface ocean temperatures are running about 6 degrees Celsius above average.
Those warmer waters release heat into the atmosphere and often lead to hotter global temperatures for months.
For Americans, the biggest concern is what that could mean during peak summer months.
The southern United States could see heavier rainfall and flooding while large portions of the West face elevated heat and drought concerns. Meteorologists are also warning about increased stress on power grids as air conditioning demand rises during prolonged heatwaves.
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Scientists are even raising the possibility that 2026 could become the hottest year ever recorded.
“The science is clear: El Niño is arriving on our doorstep in the coming months with 90% certainty,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said.
“El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world,” he added.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo also warned the event “will exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and in the ocean.”
Forecasters are comparing the developing system to the powerful 1997-98 El Niño event, which helped drive record global temperatures and brought intense summer heat to parts of the world.
While weather patterns can shift quickly and regional impacts will vary, officials say emergency planners and utility providers are already closely monitoring conditions as the summer approaches.
The WMO said “advance seasonal forecasts and early warnings are vital to save lives and cushion the impact on our economies and our communities.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
