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Environment & Climate

NOAA says El Niño has intensified, with conditions likely through March

CBS News reports NOAA's Climate Prediction Center says El Niño has intensified, with sea surface anomalies topping 4 degrees Celsius.

Published Nov 13, 2026 · 15:12 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • NOAA's Climate Prediction Center says El Niño has intensified and continues to strengthen.[CBS News]
  • As of Nov. 12, sea surface temperature anomalies topped 4 degrees Celsius, according to NOAA.[CBS News]
  • The phenomenon affects weather and climate around the world, and NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization classify it as "very strong."[CBS News]
  • "Super El Niño" is not an official term, and NOAA predicts the event will most likely last through March.[CBS News]

Key facts

  • NOAA's Climate Prediction Center announced that El Niño has intensified and continues to strengthen.[CBS News]
  • As of Nov. 12, sea surface temperature anomalies topped 4 degrees Celsius, according to NOAA.[CBS News]
  • NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization categorize this year's El Niño as "very strong" rather than "super."[CBS News]
  • NOAA predicts the El Niño will most likely persist through March.[CBS News]
  • Researchers at the University of Chicago estimated in September that 451,000 extra people worldwide could die this year from heat exposure during El Niño.[CBS News]
  • Weather agencies have tracked 32 typhoons so far in 2026.[CBS News]
  • Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April and Super Typhoon Champi in October tied as the strongest Western Pacific typhoons of the year, with sustained winds up to 185 mph.[CBS News]
  • Hawaii has seen five named tropical systems make close passes, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and flash flooding.[CBS News]

What remains uncertain

  • The 451,000 figure is a September prediction from University of Chicago researchers, not an observed count.[CBS News]
  • NOAA's expectation that El Niño lasts through March is a forecast, not a confirmed outcome.[CBS News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.