Super El Niño Expected to Bring Wetter and Warmer Winter Across the U.S.
A potentially historic El Niño event is forecasted to strengthen through the end of 2026, with a 90% likelihood of becoming a very strong event during the fall and winter months, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) [Newsweek, 13 Sep 2026]. El Niño, the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), is known to influence global weather patterns, including increased storm activity in the southern U.S. and drier conditions in some northern regions. AccuWeather's lead long-range expert, Paul Pastelok, predicts heavy rainfall in central and Northern California, snow in the Sierras, and wetter conditions in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic during December. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) also forecasts above-average temperatures across much of the U.S. and wetter-than-normal conditions in the southern and eastern regions for December 2026 through February 2027.