The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has warned that a strange weather phenomenon is imminent amid fears that Super El Niño is getting closer by the day.
The US space agency used satellite data from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, launched in 2020, to analyze water in South America and detected hundreds of kilometers of warm water reaching the Pacific Ocean.
NASA said signs point to a strong possibility of Super El Niño emerging later this year.
The space exploration agency noted: “Waves of higher, warmer water move east across the Pacific Ocean a few months before El Niño emerges. Several have appeared in satellite data from 2026.”
For the uninitiated, a Super El Niño is an extreme version of a natural weather event in which a huge pool of unusually warm water builds up in the Pacific Ocean which then acts as a giant heater, pushing global temperatures to record levels and causing extreme, chaotic weather around the world.
El Niño events have occurred naturally for thousands of years, but their intensity and impacts are much stronger this year.
Scientists have predicted an average temperature rise of around 3°C globally, which will lead to extreme heat almost everywhere in the world.
How to protect yourself against El Niño:
- Monitor official weather forecasts and warnings.
- Prepare for extreme weather conditions in your area, whether heavy rain, flooding, heat or drought.
- Maintain an emergency supply of food, water, medications and essential items.
- Have an evacuation plan if you live in an area prone to flooding or landslides.
- Conserve water if local authorities warn of drought conditions.
- Secure your home against storms and heavy rain.
- Avoid flooding and follow evacuation orders.
- Stay hydrated and protect yourself from the heat during unusually hot weather.
- Protect crops, livestock, and water supplies if you live in a rural area.
- Follow instructions from local emergency management agencies.
According to Josh Willis, a sea level researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this year’s El Niño event began later than those in 1997 and 2015.
However, he warned, “it is starting to catch up.”
