Evidence suggests that climate change may be intensifying El Niño events, with potential for increased frequency and strength in the future. Climate scientist Mark Cane stated that “the evidence is accumulating that climate change makes for more powerful El Niños.”
This year’s El Niño is building and is forecast to peak between October and December 2026. A pre-print study indicated that an event of this magnitude is six times more likely due to climate change. Cane noted that the 2026-2027 event “is clearly going to be very large, up there with the handful of largest events that we’re aware of.”
Source: Mongabay