# Extreme El Niño Threatens Winter Weather

> Record-breaking El Niño could reshape winter weather globally this season.
- Title: Extreme El Niño Threatens Winter Weather · The Boston Globe
- Summary: Record-breaking El Niño could reshape winter weather globally this season. This El Niño will be the strongest in 150 years, with sea surface temperatures…
- Keywords: el niño, sea surface temperatures, december, global weather, climate change, tropical pacific, record temperatures, extreme weather, climate scientist, university of california los angeles, national oceanic and atmospheric adminis, climate indices
- Source: The Boston Globe — https://bostonglobe.com/2026/10/08/metro/2026-super-el-nino-strength-record
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: el niño, sea surface temperatures, december, global weather, climate change, tropical pacific, record temperatures, extreme weather, climate scientist, university of california los angeles, national oceanic and atmospheric adminis, climate indices
## El Niño's Unprecedented Warmth
The eastern Pacific Ocean is warming at record levels, with sea surface temperatures now 3.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
## Breaking Historical Records
This El Niño will likely reach 4 degrees Celsius above normal by December, surpassing the 1877-78 event that peaked at 3.5 degrees.
## Climate Scientist Warning
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, warns this extreme El Niño will have widespread global impacts.
## El Niño Intensity Scale
El Niño strength is measured in half-degree increments, with 'Super' status at 2.0 degrees Celsius above normal.
## Historical Super El Niños
Four Super El Niños have occurred since 1950: 1982-83, 1991-92, 1997-98, and 2.015-16.
## NOAA's Forecast
NOAA predicts at least an 83% chance this El Niño will exceed previous records by year's end.
## Subsurface Heat Concerns
Waters below the El Niño region are 20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, creating a heat reservoir that could sustain the event through 2027.
## Climate Change Impact
Scientists use Relative Niño Indices to account for global warming when measuring El Niño strength.
## Historical Weather Impacts
Past Super El Niños caused extreme weather: 1982-83 brought heavy rains to California, 1997-98 triggered ice storms in New England.
## What Happens Next
This El Niño could cause extreme winter weather globally, with impacts on temperatures and storm patterns worldwide.
## Key takeaway

This El Niño will be the strongest in 150 years, with sea surface temperatures reaching 4 degrees C above normal by December, potentially causing extreme weather worldwide.