A strengthening Super El Niño is expected to have a major influence on U.S. winter weather, with the strongest impacts likely to show up late this year and into early 2027. NOAA says there is now a greater than 90% chance El Niño becomes very strong this fall and winter, with a 69% chance it could become the strongest event on record. CNN says the southern U.S. could see a wetter, stormier winter, while parts of the northern U.S. and Midwest may trend warmer and drier. Even with regional differences, a Super El Niño can shift storm tracks, increase flooding concerns in some areas, strain water planning, and create more weather uncertainty heading into winter.
Why This Matters:
A Super El Niño can change more than the winter forecast. It can shift storm tracks, bring heavier rain and flooding to parts of the southern U.S., change snowpack, disrupt travel, strain water planning, and leave parts of the northern U.S. and Midwest warmer and drier than usual. Those changes can affect food production, power reliability, road conditions, water supply, and everyday routines. For households, this is a reminder that preparedness is not about one forecast or one storm. Food, water, power, and basic supplies need to be in place before the season turns unpredictable.
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Source: CNN
By: Mary Gilbert, Meteorologist
