⁠El Niño roars to life. 5 reasons why it's a big deal

Key Points:

• Pacific Ocean sea surface temperatures have set daily warm records for over 20 days in June, signaling a potentially strong El Niño event expected to peak between November and January 2026.
• El Niño influences global weather by altering trade winds and jet streams, causing shifts in rainfall patterns that can lead to extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and wildfires in various regions.
• While El Niño often raises global temperatures and increases risks for disasters such as California floods and Indonesian wildfires, it can also bring beneficial effects like drought relief in the southeastern U.S. and fewer Atlantic hurricanes.
• The strength and specific impacts of El Niño are unpredictable, as past events have shown varying outcomes, but scientists emphasize the advantage of advance warning to prepare for potential disasters.
• This El Niño may rank among the strongest since 1982, with significant economic implications worldwide, as previous strong events caused global income losses estimated in the trillions of dollars.