National Weather Service Maps Indicate Potential 2026 El Niño Impacts on U.S. Weather Patterns
The National Weather Service (NWS) has released maps that provide insights into how the anticipated 2026 El Niño event could affect weather conditions across the United States. El Niño, a phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), is a recurring climate pattern that influences global weather, including temperature and precipitation variations. The Climate Prediction Center has indicated an 82 percent likelihood of El Niño emerging between May and July. The NWS maps illustrate historical temperature and precipitation anomalies during past El Niño events, offering a glimpse into potential weather shifts. These maps are based on climate data from 1981 to 2010 and show how weak, moderate, and strong El Niño events have historically impacted U.S. weather. For instance, during strong El Niño events, warmer-than-average temperatures have been observed across the northern U.S., while wetter conditions have been noted in the southern regions, including California and the Gulf Coast. 
