El Niño Expected to Intensify, Impacting California Weather

WHO:

Los Angeles Times - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center forecasters

The Mirror US - Scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, James Haywood, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Exeter

WHAT:

The Washington Post - Ocean temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean are forecasted to reach an average peak of around 3.9 degrees Celsius (7.0 degrees Fahrenheit) above average in December, which is about a degree higher than the record-breaking El Niño in 2015.

The Washington Post - Global temperatures could reach new highs, with more than an 80 percent chance for 2027 to become the warmest year on record.

PBS - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced an 81% chance of this year's El Niño becoming "very strong" by fall, ranking among the most intense El Niños since 1950.

The Washington Post - This year's El Niño is expected to drive significant weather impacts, potentially making 2027 the warmest year on record with more than an 80 percent chance.

The Mirror US - There is a 63% chance that temperatures will exceed 35°F, indicating a "super" El Niño situation.

Los Angeles Times - A strong El Niño is virtually certain to develop this year, with a 97% chance it will be either “strong” or “very strong” over a three-month period ending this December.

Los Angeles Times - There is an 81% chance that the El Niño will be “very strong.”

The Mirror US - An El Niño is expected to impact global weather through 2027, with a 63% chance that temperatures will exceed 35°F, leading to a "super" El Niño situation.

The Mirror US - Scientists proposed a controversial geoengineering technique called marine cloud brightening to potentially stop a Super El Niño.

WHERE:

Los Angeles Times - Southern California, downtown Los Angeles

The Mirror US - Pacific Ocean, Australia

WHEN:

Los Angeles Times - The three-month period ending this December

The Mirror US - The El Niño is expected to impact global weather through 2027.

WHY:

Los Angeles Times - Strong El Niños significantly increase the likelihood of above-average rainfall in California, risking flash floods and landslides.

The Mirror US - The geoengineering plan aims to address the potential devastating impacts of a Super El Niño.

HOW:

The Mirror US - Scientists are considering a geoengineering technique called marine cloud brightening, which involves spraying particles into clouds to reflect sunlight back into space, potentially cooling temperatures.

Los Angeles Times - El Niño is characterized by warmer water in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, which affects atmospheric conditions and shifts the winter jet stream.

The Mirror US - The proposed geoengineering technique involves spraying particles into clouds to reflect sunlight back into space, potentially cooling temperatures.

(UPDATED July 11, 2026 01:23 UTC)

Ocean temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific are expected to peak at around 3.9 degrees Celsius above average in December, surpassing the record set during the 2015 El Niño. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced an 81% chance that this year's El Niño will become "very strong" by fall, making it one of the most intense since 1950, while global temperatures may reach new highs with over an 80% likelihood that 2027 will be the warmest year on record. In response to these rising temperatures, scientists are exploring a geoengineering technique called marine cloud brightening, which involves spraying particles into clouds to reflect sunlight back into space.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 17:33 UTC)

Ocean temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific are projected to peak at around 3.9 degrees Celsius above average in December, surpassing the record set during the 2015 El Niño. This year's El Niño is anticipated to have significant weather impacts, with a greater than 80 percent chance that 2027 will become the warmest year on record, and there's also a 63 percent likelihood of temperatures exceeding 35°F, indicating a "super" El Niño situation. In response to these rising temperatures, scientists are exploring a geoengineering technique called marine cloud brightening, which involves spraying particles into clouds to reflect sunlight back into space and potentially cool the planet.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 16:47 UTC)

Forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict a strong El Niño is virtually certain to develop this year, with a 97% chance it will be classified as either "strong" or "very strong" by the end of December. This phenomenon, characterized by warmer waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, is expected to impact global weather patterns through 2027, raising concerns about above-average rainfall in California and the risk of flash floods and landslides. In response to the potential devastation of a Super El Niño, scientists are proposing a controversial geoengineering technique called marine cloud brightening, which involves spraying particles into clouds to reflect sunlight and potentially cool temperatures.