Super El Niño to disrupt travel plans starting August through the fall
NOAA has confirmed that a strong El Niño event is developing, with an 81% chance of becoming the strongest on record. This climate pattern is expected to disrupt weather across North America, potentially impacting travel plans from August through the following spring.
Why it matters
The predicted intensity of this El Niño could lead to significant weather-related travel disruptions and shifts in hurricane season activity.
Millions of Americans are gearing up for an El Niño threat across the Eastern Pacific with above-average water temperatures. El Niño is one of three phases of a climate cycle called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It describes natural temperature changes in the central Pacific Ocean that alter atmospheric circulation and can greatly influence global weather. As we ease more into hurricane season, there have been only four named storms (Amanda, Boris, Cristina, and Douglas) in the basin thus far. According to the FOX Forecast Center, the average date of the fifth named storm is around July 23. Given the recent activity, it appears it will occur before then as we look further into this year’s forecast. The latest update from NOAA confirms that a rapidly intensifying El Niño is officially underway across the tropical Pacific.
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