El Niño is coming "soon" and it could reach "very strong" levels later this year, according to a May 14 forecast released by climate scientists from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.
This and other forecasts are raising alarms globally because of the pattern's powerful influence over the world's weather. This includes its often dramatic impact on hurricanes, where it can suppress the number of storms that form in the Atlantic basin but boost those in the Pacific.
NOAA's forecast said that El Niño is likely to emerge soon (with an 82% chance the next 2-3 months) and continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2026-27 (a 96% chance by December 2026 – February 2027).
Also, even if the strongest part of the El Niño doesn't arrive until the end of the year, it could still be strong enough during the hurricane season (June-November) to impact the number of storms that form in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Not really, but it's easy to see why it might seem that way, if you've been following hurricane season forecasts.
