Monster is awakening as 'super-El Niño' could devastate the planet in 2026

Monster is awakening as a potential 'super-El Niño' could devastate global weather in 2026. The article explains El Niño as the warm phase of a three-part climate cycle that also includes La Niña and a neutral period, with forecasts pointing to a mid-year shift and possible intensification toward year-end. It links Pacific warming to wider atmospheric changes through teleconnections, a concept named the Southern Oscillation by early 20th-century researchers. The piece notes that El Niño often brings heavy rainfall to some regions and drought to others, affecting crops, water resources and infrastructure.