THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

A Looming Super El Niño Spells a Summer of Extremes | Atmos Photograph by Marc Krause / Connected Archives words bymiranda green For the last two months, I’ve been working and living in Paris. I filled my days with early-morning river runs, daily croissant breakfasts, and more walking on average than I’ve ever done, according to my Strava. It was tres magnifique. But living in the City of Light also put the world’s rapidly changing climate into stark focus. During one week at the end of May, I went from experiencing one of the coldest days—48 degrees Fahrenheit and raining (I was wearing gloves)—to the hottest May day France has ever reported. I’ve lived in some pretty hot places, from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., but nothing prepared me for the sweltering heat of an air-conditioning-less Paris weeks before summer officially began. Now experts are warning that the heatwave was just a small sample of what’s to come this summer, as a cyclical weather event called El Niño is anticipated to bring extreme heat and extreme rainfall to various places across the globe. The United Nations’ weather service, the World Meteorological Organization, announced on Tuesday that an El Niño…

Africa: A Super El Niño Is Coming - 5 Hard-Won Lessons the World Can ... Climate prediction scientists announced in June 2026 that El Niño, a cycle that happens every two to seven years, hadformed. It was expected to develop into one of the strongest on record - a"super" El Niño. El Niño happens when the surface of the Pacific ocean becomes unusually warm. It can alter weather patterns worldwide, often leading to extreme events such as droughts, floods and heatwaves. Read more:A 'super' El Niño has the power to devastate fishing - and leave seals and sea lions starving Keep up with the latest headlines onWhatsApp|LinkedIn In southern Africa, it causeshot, dry weather. In a previous cycle this pushed18 million peopleinto hunger. In east and central Africa, it has brought heavy rain and flooding thatpreviously destroyedover 600,000 homes, along with farmland and health services. In west Africa, it has reduced harvests, raised food prices and left families struggling with food shortages for years after the event. A "super" El Niño is caused by Pacific Ocean temperatures rising far more than normal. Parts of the Pacific are expected to be about3°C warmerthan average by the end o…

Super El Niño Is Coming: 5 Hard-Won Lessons the World Must Learn from ... Scientists warn a “super” El Niño forming in 2026 could trigger severe droughts, floods and hunger worldwide, with Africa especially exposed. Yet decades of coping with climate shocks mean African countries offer vital lessons. These are: invest in early warning and preparedness, diversify into indigenous climate-resilient crops and manage water–energy–food–health together. Lessons show need to unlock adaptation finance, and build genuine partnerships instead of top‑down aid. Climate prediction scientists announced in June 2026 that El Niño, a cycle that happens every two to seven years, hadformed. It was expected to develop into one of the strongest on record — a“super” El Niño. El Niño happens when the surface of the Pacific ocean becomes unusually warm. It can alter weather patterns worldwide, often leading to extreme events such as droughts, floods and heatwaves. In southern Africa, it causeshot, dry weather. In a previous cycle this pushed18 million peopleinto hunger. In east and central Africa, it has brought heavy rain and flooding thatpreviously destroyedover 600,000 homes, along with farmland…

El Niño is officially here, and it could get historically "super" Climate change South America Drought Water availability See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Summary El Niño has officially begun and forecasters give it a 63% chance of becoming a Super El Niño. NOAA says this could be one of the largest El Niño events in the historical record dating back to 1950. The weather pattern will bring major shifts in global weather and virtually guarantee 2027 becomes the planet's warmest year. AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor. El Niño has officially begun, and it is forecast to intensify into a very strong or “ Super” El Niño with major shifts in global weather patterns and an even hotter climate , according to a new report released Thursday morning from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. El Niño is a periodic weather pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean that alters winds and features unusually hot waters in the central and eastern Pacific. These changes in winds and ocean temperatures have knock-on effects on weather patterns worldwide. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is giving this El Niño a 63% chance of becoming a “…

El Niño 2026: What to know about past 'very strong' El Niños - KCRA El Niño 2026: What to know about past 'very strong' El Niño weather patterns El Niño 2026: What to know about past 'very strong' El Niño weather patterns Buzz Super El Nino. What does that mean? El Nino? It's the warming of the central and eastern Pacific, but *** super El Nino means water temperatures are running way hot, possibly up to 5 degrees or more above average, and this one could be historic, potentially surpassing the benchmark years of 1982, 1997, and 2015. And the ripple effects from *** super El Nino will impact the Atlantic season, but even El Nino seasons can bring catastrophic storms to our region like Audrey and Betsy in 1957 and 1965 respectively. Louisiana is no stranger to seeing major impacts during El Nino seasons. The takeaway. What are we likely to see across the entire basin? We are likely to see strong wind shear that drives lower amounts of storms from the deep Atlantic near Africa all the way across the Caribbean, and drier air could suppress hurricane activity. NOAA is calling for *** below average season, 8 to 14 named storms. 3 to 6 of those becoming hurricanes and up to 1 to 3 of th…

El Niño, amplified: As a super event looms in 2026, scientists warn ... The planet is hurtling towards an El Niño during the northern hemisphere summer of 2026. Forecasts suggest it could rival the episode of 1876-78, the strongest on record, which triggered droughts and famines across large parts of the world and contributed to the deaths of 50 million people. On June 2, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said there was an 80 per cent chance of El Niño conditions developing in the equatorial Pacific between June and August, rising to a 90 per cent chance that it would persist until at least November. A day earlier, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) put the odds of El Niño emerging between May and July at 82 per cent, and estimated a 96 per cent chance that it would continue through the northern hemisphere winter of 2026-27. El Niño is typically associated with higher global temperatures, below-average rainfall across many regions, excessive rainfall in others and an increased likelihood of extreme weather. However, no two El Niño events are identical. Their effects depend on the pattern of ocean warming in the tropical Pacific, the state of …

El Nino is here and scientists fear it'll be big, bad and costly with ... El Nino, Nature's chaotic climate agent, has formed in a warmed-up Pacific Ocean and is expected to grow to historic strength, meteorologists announced Thursday. Experts said the El Nino, a natural warming cycle, should further heat a globe already warming from fossil fuel pollution and will likely turbocharge extreme weather across the planet. Meteorologists forecast it will rival — or exceed — a record El Nino that began in 1997 and helped trigger billions of dollars in damage from heat waves, floods, droughts, tornadoes and wildfires. Also Read |El Nino declared, all eyes now on monsoon march in India The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially confirmed the existence of the El Nino, which is a warming of the Pacific near the equator that affects weather patterns across the globe. NOAA's announcement said there's a 63% chance that the El Nino will get so intense this late fall and early winter that it “would rank among the largest El Nino events in the historical record going back to 1950.” The warm, deep waters of an El Nino affect weather patterns by bringing “a lot of extra h…

How Climate Change Is Fueling Extreme Weather - Earthjustice our Stories Select language: English Español July 28, 2025 How Climate Change Is Fueling Extreme Weather Carbon pollution is contributing to climate disasters that will only get worse unless we take action. Hurricane Helene caused flooding on the North Fork Catawba River in McDowell County that washed out a bridge on Highway 22 in North Cove, North Carolina on Sept. 28, 2024, disconnecting communities and isolating them from already limited resources. Julia Wall for The Washington Post via Getty Images Across the globe, extreme weather is becoming the new normal. Record hurricanes Destructive wildfires Deadly heatwaves and drought Torrential rains and flooding Intense winter storms From season to season and year to year, weather events that were once rare occurrences are now increasingly commonplace. Why is this happening? Human activity is causing rapid changes to our global climate that are contributing to extreme weather conditions. When fossil fuels are burned for electricity, heat, and transportation, carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps solar radiation, is released into our atmosphere. Over the past century,…

How a 'super' El Niño risks worsening extreme weather in a climate ... It’s official: an El Niño has been confirmed and with it, expectations of another record hot-year – most likely in 2027 – and bringing with it the anticipation of extreme weather impacts and disruptions to global food production. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has said there is a chance a “very strong” El Niño could form – the first since 2016, adding to growing concerns for the impacts the natural weather phenomenon might cause on an already warmer planet. Signage cautions drivers of extreme heat danger as an excessive heatwave continues on July 9, 2024 in Death Valley National Park. © David McNew / Greenpeace After the past 11 years have been the world’s warmest on record due to climate change, this year’s El Niño could become one of the strongest ever recorded and temporarily push the average global temperature above the 1.5°C limit adopted in the Paris Agreement. The confirmation of an El Niño came as scientists declared in the annual Indicators of Global Climate Change that our climate is heating at an all-time high of around 0.27°C per decade, driven primarily by record-high gr…

El Nino Casting Shadow Over Southwest Monsoon 2026 El Nino Casting Shadow Over Southwest Monsoon 2026 By: AVM GP Sharma | Edited By: Arti Kumari Apr 19, 2026, 11:15 AM Representational Image: AI-Skymet Key Takeaways: El Niño is emerging and may become one of the strongest in recent decades 61% probability of development during May–July 2026 Likely to impact global weather with floods and drought extremes India may see below-normal southwest monsoon rainfall El Niño, an ocean-atmosphere coupled phenomenon, is in the nascent stage over the equatorial Pacific. It is expected to start influencing global weather patterns commencing the summer of the Northern Hemisphere and continuing till winters over the North American continent. Forecasts from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), Climate Prediction Center (NOAA), and other experts suggest that it could evolve into one of the strongest events of the last few decades. The higher sea surface temperatures over the Niño region in the equatorial Pacific and the weaker trade winds lead to different weather patterns in different parts of the world. It is quite likely to redraw the global pattern, triggering massive…

What a 'super' El Niño means for the planet | National Geographic Early forecasts suggest this year may see the strongest El Niño in a decade—bringing with it more extreme weather. Forecasters are increasingly predicting the possibility that a powerful “super El Niño” will take effect this year. The phenomenon, which could be the strongest El Niño in at least a decade, may spur punishing drought in some regions and severe storms in others, while also causing the Earth’s temperature torise. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationannouncedthis weekthat El Niño conditions are present and expected to strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere. Aprevious reportstated that there is a 25 percent chance of a “very strong” El Niño and a 50 percent chance of a “strong” El Niño, with Pacific Ocean temperatures rising to at least 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than average. The phenomenon—which typically occurs every two to seven years—is often characterized by chaos because it shifts global weather and introduces new extremes. Yet some scientists paradoxically view it as a chance to prepare for what’s to come. “When we have an El Niño it influences the global atmosphere in such a wa…

AI computing power "lifeline" faces El Niño "stress test" as global data ... I'm LongbridgeAI, I can summarize articles. Start The El Niño in 2026 will trigger extreme high temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, posing a severe stress test for global AI data centers. Data shows that 79% of data center capacity faces high risks from climate disasters such as floods and wildfires, with severe weather becoming a major source of losses for the insurance industry. Climate risk is evolving from background noise to a core variable threatening the stable operation of AI infrastructure, forcing tech giants to confront operational and cost challenges According to the Zhitong Finance APP, as European citizens try to escape the record-breaking heat wave, global AI infrastructure is facing a severe "stress test." In 2026, the rare high temperatures brought by the El Niño phenomenon will sweep across the Northern Hemisphere, and whether high-performance chips in AI data centers can continue to operate stably under extreme weather has become a core challenge that technology giants and infrastructure operators must confront. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) i…

A Super El Niño is coming: 5 hard-won lessons the… - inkl Climate prediction scientists announced in June 2026 that El Niño, a cycle that happens every two to seven years, hadformed. It was expected to develop into one of the strongest on record – a“super” El Niño. El Niño happens when the surface of the Pacific ocean becomes unusually warm. It can alter weather patterns worldwide, often leading to extreme events such as droughts, floods and heatwaves. Read more:A ‘super’ El Niño has the power to devastate fishing – and leave seals and sea lions starving In southern Africa, it causeshot, dry weather. In a previous cycle this pushed18 million peopleinto hunger. In east and central Africa, it has brought heavy rain and flooding thatpreviously destroyedover 600,000 homes, along with farmland and health services. In west Africa, it has reduced harvests, raised food prices and left families struggling with food shortages for years after the event. A “super” El Niño is caused by Pacific Ocean temperatures rising far more than normal. Parts of the Pacific are expected to be about3°C warmerthan average by the end of 2026. There have only been three other super El Niño events in mode…

Mohan Sinha21 Jun 2026, 00:36 GMT+10 ROME, Italy: The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Program said on June 18 that they need $202 million to help protect 8.8 million people in 22 high-risk countries from the expected El Niño weather pattern. They warned that strong El Niño conditions in the second half of 2026 could increase droughts, floods, and storms in parts of Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The countries most at risk include several in Africa (like Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia), Asia-Pacific (such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Philippines), and Latin America and the Caribbean (including Colombia, Haiti, and Venezuela). If they receive additional funding, the agencies can extend help beyond the 1.2 million people already targeted. The planned support includes cash aid, climate-resistant seeds, livestock protection, and measures to control flooding. El Niño is a natural event in which ocean temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific warm due to weaker trade winds. It usually happens every two to seven years and lasts about nine to 12 months. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administ…

'Record breaking' 2026 Super El Niño expected to be the most destructive since 1870 - The Mirror US 'Record breaking' 2026 Super El Niño expected to be the most destructive since 1870 Climate specialists are warning people to brace for some of the most extreme weather events of their lifetimes Weather The Associated Press and Falyn Stempler News Reporter 08:29 ET, 12 May 2026 Updated 12:47 ET, 12 May 2026 View 4 Images Forecasters are warning that extreme weather will occur in the second half of the year Seasonal weather models suggest that this year could bring the strongest El Niño climate pattern on record since the 1870s, forecasters warn. ‌ Subsequently, climate specialists are advising people worldwide to brace for some of the most extreme weather events of their lifetimes. El Niño is slowly starting to affect weather patterns, and the weather phenomenon is expected to fully form by July, data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests. The weather trend, which is already making it harder for forecasters to predict spring weather, will impact global temperature and rainfall patterns, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It comes af…

How a 'super' El Niño could disrupt renewable energy This year’s rare “super El Niño” could be the world’s next energy market shock, analysts say, threatening renewable energy production in some places as it drives extreme heat. The climate phenomenon arrives as the monthslong Iran war strains global oil markets — and prompts some world leaders, particularly in Europe and China, to consider an expansion of their renewable portfolios. Studies show that solar, wind and hydropower tend to take a hit in certain regions during El Niño years, as cloud cover, wind patterns and rainfall change. “We do have predictions,” said Roberta Boscolo, climate and energy lead at the World Meteorological Organization. “The predictions are rather solid.” Advertisement The data comes from an annual report published by WMO, in partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency. The first two reports analyzed trends in 2023 and 2024, when a strong El Niño event was in force for at least half of both years. While solar, wind and hydropower capacity increased globally during those years, it decreased in some regions. In some areas of South America and southern Africa, for example, El Niño’s influen…

A Super El Niño is coming: 5 hard-won lessons the world can learn from ... The Toben Gaa self-help group in Kenya discussing their agroforestry project, which helps smallholder farmers adapt to climate change. Joseph Gachoka/World Agroforestry/Flickr. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Climate prediction scientists announced in June 2026 that El Niño, a cycle that happens every two to seven years, had formed . It was expected to develop into one of the strongest on record – a “super” El Niño . El Niño happens when the surface of the Pacific ocean becomes unusually warm. It can alter weather patterns worldwide, often leading to extreme events such as droughts, floods and heatwaves. Read more: A ‘super’ El Niño has the power to devastate fishing – and leave seals and sea lions starving In southern Africa, it causes hot, dry weather . In a previous cycle this pushed 18 million people into hunger. In east and central Africa, it has brought heavy rain and flooding that previously destroyed over 600,000 homes, along with farmland and health services. In west Africa, it has reduced harvests, raised food prices and left families struggling with food shortages for years after the event. A “super” El Niño i…

#World: Climate Hack Weakens El Niño A new study suggests that geoengineering could potentially weaken the effects of future super El Niño events. #ClimateChange #Science Read more: mailchi.mp/americangeo/...

'Super' El Niño forecast raises stakes for U.S. growing season NEWS A giant wave of heat is moving under the Pacific — and it could change global weather Jan Shepel Correspondent June 3, 2026, 5:02 a.m. CT Thousands of meters beneath the Pacific, an enormous wave of warm water is racing east toward South America—fueling concerns that a “Super” El Niño may be taking shape. Climate scientists first detected the so-called Kelvin wave of warm water in March and initially estimated about a 22% chance of a Super El Niño forming. Just a month later, those odds jumped to 80%, and European climatologists soon declared a 100% probability of a Super El Niño developing by November. The temperature of the ocean in the equatorial waters where these El Niños form was predicted to be 3 degrees Celsius above average. Experts are saying that this is a level of heat in the Pacific Ocean that hasn’t been recorded since 1877. Severe Weather Europe described the transition as a turning point for summer, and potentially, the remainder of this year. "The 2026 North American summer season is entering a critical transition phase," Severe Weather Europe wrote. "Latest data confirms that a strong El Niñ…

WMO: Prepare for El Niño WMO: Prepare for El Niño Press Release 2 June 2026 Geneva, Switzerland (WMO) - Fueled by unusually warm ocean waters in the tropical Pacific, El Niño conditions are developing and are set to influence global temperature and rainfall patterns, increasing the risk of extreme weather over the coming months, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Key messages Warm ocean waters are fueling the development of El Niño El Niño typically increases global temperatures and drives more extreme weather and rainfall patterns Above average temperatures forecast nearly everywhere for June to August Advanced forecasts help in preparations to protect lives and livelihoods Time for informed decision-making, planning and preparedness is now Share: A new WMO El Niño/La Niña Update indicates an 80% likelihood of an El Niño event during June–August 2026. Probabilities for this to continue until at least November are near or above 90%. Although some uncertainty remains about El Niño peak strength and timing, most forecast models suggest it will be at least moderate – and possibly strong. WMO El Niño/Updates are the world’s most authoritative source of informati…

This year's El Nino likely to become record-breaker: top expert <p>The current <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2006917/weather-pattern-el-nino-has-begun-says-us-agency-noaa">El Nino weather phenomenon</a> is expected to break records for its overall strength, a top expert said Tuesday, as regions face the risk of droughts, floods and other extremes linked to the event.</p> <p>El Nino warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns.</p> <p>It typically takes place every two to seven years and lasts around nine to 12 months, and it can lead to <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2005115">droughts </a>in some parts of the world and flooding in others.</p> <p>This year’s El Nino is unlike anything seen in more than three decades of tracking the phenomenon, with forecast models pointing to an “extreme” event, said Tim Stockdale, an El Nino expert at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), an intergovernmental organisation.</p> <p>“I think it’s absolutely true to say we’ve never had a forecast of an El Nino that was so strong and so consistent across (forecast) m…

How El Nino Drives Hunger Around the World - 3BL Media link Copy URL Share on X Share on linkedin Share on facebook email Share via email Environment How El Nino Drives Hunger Around the World The Global Phenomenon Causes Drought, Flooding and Natural Disasters Nov 7, 2023 3:45 PM ET In the wake of El Nino, communities are banding together to tackle food security. Drought in parts of Africa will lead to water scarcity and illness for millions. Flooding from El Nino may lead to dirty or contaminated water. Our teams reached 46,000 people through our nutrition and health programs in India last year. El Nino will affect crops throughout Southeast Asia. As El Nino threatens the lives and livelihoods of millions, we're partnering with local communities to build climate-resilience. Food prices are rising across South America. In Guatemala, many struggle to feed their families. El Nino will impact food security around the world. El Nino will lead to dry, hot temperatures for many regions. Winter is coming—but this year's winter might look a little different than what we’re used to. Meteorologists across the United States are predicting less snow, warmer days and erratic storms. But ski s…

“Super El Niño” Is Terrible News for Farmers Around the World This story was originally published by&#160;Grist&#160;and&#160;is reproduced here as part of the&#160;Climate Desk&#160;collaboration. The oceanic phenomenon known as El Niño, which increases temperatures worldwide, has officially begun,&#160;according to&#160;US weather forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.&#160; Meteorologists have warned that this could be the strongest El Niño&#160;this century. It is expected to drive extreme [&#8230;]

Impacts of an Impending "Super" El-Niño on Global Supply Chains Expert Speak|11 May, 2026 Author:Leigh Mante TheEl-Niño Southern Oscillationis a climate phenomenon oscillating between two phases: El Niño and La Niña, with each cycle spanning two to seven years. While La Niña induces cooling tendencies, El Niño increases global average surface temperatures.Historically, El Niño events have increased rainfall and flood risk in dry areas such as the Americas, while instigating drought in wet areas like South and Southeast Asia. As the world forges through geopolitical upheaval, a prospective “Super” El-Niño, albeit a non-standardised classification, threatens to further destabilise global supply chains. TheWorld Meteorological Organisation (WMO)predicts an upward shift in sea-surface temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific as early as May to July 2026, with an estimated60 percent riskof El Niño development by summer. This trend is particularly alarming, as the looming El Niño will likely coincide with conflict-induced trade restrictions in the Middle East, which have already stranded maritime shipments, driven transpacific container rates40 percentabove pre-crisis levels, andrestri…

El Nino Drives Hunger Around the World The Global Phenomenon Causes Drought, Flooding and Natural Disasters Winter is coming—but this year’swintermight look a little different than what we’re used to. Meteorologists across the United States are predicting less snow, warmer days, and erratic storms. But ski season isn’t the only thing at risk. El Nino—a recurring phenomenon of higher-than-average sea surface temperatures—is significantly threatening globalfood security. It’s back for the first time in seven years, causing intense weather only exacerbated by climate change. Too much rain in certain areas, and not enough in others, will damage crops and impede agricultural production around the world. Some scientists are predicting aSuper El Ninoby the end of the year. In the next few months, it may become one of the most intense climate patterns ever recorded, leading to dangerous natural disasters like drought, heat waves, and lethal floods. Every several years, El Nino makes an appearance for a year, causing tropical storms, droughts, and unpredictable weather in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. El Nino is part of a larger climate pattern called the El Nino-Sout…

El Nino is here and scientists fear it'll be big, bad and costly with heat ... WASHINGTON — El Nino, nature’s chaotic climate agent, has formed in a warmed-up Pacific Ocean and is expected to grow to historic strength, meteorologists announced Thursday. Experts said the El Nino, a natural warming cycle, should further heat a globe already warming from fossil fuel pollution and will likely turbocharge extreme weather across the planet. Meteorologists forecast it will rival — or exceed — a record El Nino that began in 1997 and helped trigger billions of dollars in damage from heat waves, floods, droughts, tornadoes and wildfires. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially confirmed the existence of the El Nino, which is a warming of the Pacific near the equator that affects weather patterns across the globe. NOAA’s announcement said there’s a 63% chance that the El Nino will get so intense this late fall and early winter that it “would rank among the largest El Nino events in the historical record going back to 1950.” The warm, deep waters of an El Nino affect weather patterns by bringing “a lot of extra heat to the surface, fueling a lot of extreme event…

Winter Weather Predictions 2026-2027: What's Shaping Winter So Far? Primary Image Image Credit: iphotographer/Getty Images Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener June 29, 2026 Share Body Updated June 2026: One of the biggest weather stories of the year has arrived— El Niño is officially here. It’s one of the key climate signals we’ll be watching as we prepare our official Winter 2026–2027 Forecast . We know—it’s summer. But the clues that shape winter begin appearing long before the leaves start to turn. Those early signals include changing ocean temperatures, shifting winds high above Earth, and even natural cycles of the Sun that scientists continue to study for possible connections to long-term weather patterns. At The Old Farmer’s Almanac , we watch these large-scale climate signals all year long. Along with our time-tested forecasting formula , they help us build the long-range weather predictions readers have trusted for generations. El Niño Has Officially Returned The biggest development so far is that El Niño is officially underway. After months of warming ocean temperatures across the tropical Pacific, El Niño has developed and is exp…