Super El Niño Is Coming — and We Are Not Ready for What Comes Next

A major El Niño is now developing in the tropical Pacific, and forecasters warn it could become one of the strongest events recorded since modern observations began in 1950. The concern is not only that El Niño disrupts weather patterns, but that this one is forming in a world already made hotter by climate change.

Scientists are careful not to say every forecast impact is guaranteed. But the warning is serious: if the event reaches “super” strength, the consequences could include record global heat, stronger weather extremes, pressure on food systems and new stress on countries already struggling to adapt.