Super El Nino 2026 rivals 1997-98, with worse impacts forecast for 2027
China's chief forecaster warns this 'prelude' already shows extreme destructive power.
China is being battered by extreme weather — massive typhoons, severe floods, and scorching heat — driven by a brewing 'super' El Nino. Jiang Hua, chief El Nino forecaster at China's National Marine Environmental Forecasting Centre, warned that while the most severe impacts often occur the following year, the 2026 prelude has already shown 'extreme destructive power'. In an interview with Global Times on July 22, Jiang stated, 'In terms of intensity, this year's El Nino could already rival the historically recognized super El Nino of 1997-98.'
Jiang's team detected large amounts of anomalously warm water beneath the surface in the tropical northern and southern Pacific as well as the Indian Ocean as early as March. These warm-water anomalies could converge toward the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, accelerating the event's development. The warning suggests that 2027 may bring even more devastating climate consequences for China and the globe.
- The 2026 El Nino may rival the 1997-98 super El Nino, according to chief forecaster Jiang Hua.
- Extreme weather events — typhoons, floods, heatwaves — are already hitting China as a 'prelude'.
- Warm water anomalies detected in March across the Pacific and Indian Oceans could accelerate the El Nino, making 2027 potentially worse.
Why It Matters
A super El Nino threatens global climate stability, with China facing escalating disasters now and possibly worse next year.