El Niño vs. Super El Niño: 4 Major Weather Shifts Coming to North America and Europe This Summer Explained
Discover 4 major weather changes linked to El Niño and Super El Niño, including heatwaves, droughts, floods, and wildfire risks in 2026.
Meteorologists are closely following ocean temperatures across the Pacific Ocean and looking for the potential development of an El Niño. A typical El Niño can affect weather all around the world; however, a Super El Niño is a much stronger phenomenon with greater potential for creating major climate changes in several areas of the globe.
1. More Frequent and Intense Heatwaves
Some of the potential impacts include:
- Higher daytime highs
- More number of tropical nights
- More power consumption
- More chances of heat related illnesses
2. Drought Risks Could Increase
Some of the potential consequences are:
- More water in reservoirs
- Stress in agriculture
- Water limitations/restrictions
- Conditions conducive to wildfires
3. Stronger Storm and Flood Events
Weather experts have predicted that:
- There will be periods of heavy rain
- Possible flash floods
- There will be a number of severe thunderstorms
- Urban areas could be at risk for flooding
4. Higher Wildfire Threats
Some of the regions at higher risk of wildfire will see:
- Fires that spread more quickly
- Fires that last longer
- Worse air quality from the smoke produced by wildfires
- Travel delays due to road closures from wildfires
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Final Words
Regardless of if we have a typical or extremely strong El Niño season (Super El Niño), forecasters believe there will be unusual weather impacts from El Niño over North America and Europe throughout this summer (2020). The major patterns being tracked thus far include: heat waves, droughts, excessive rainfall events, and increased wildfire potential(s).
FAQs
What is an El Niño event?
An El Niño climate event occurs when the Pacific Ocean becomes much warmer than normal.
What’s the difference between an El Niño and Super El Niño event?
A super El Niño will have warmer ocean temperatures and creates larger impacts to global weather patterns compared to typical El Niño events.
Does El Niño contribute to heat wave occurrence?
Yes. Areas experiencing above average temperatures sometimes correlate with dry conditions.
Does El Niño raise the potential for wildfires?
Areas undergoing hotter and drier conditions raise potential for wildfires to occur.
