El Niño strengthens as scientists debate climate link (opens in new tab)

El Niño returned in June 2026, with warmer-than-normal waters in the equatorial Pacific. Satellite sea-surface-height observations from Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich showed the event continued to strengthen that month. NOAA recognized El Niño conditions on June 11, and forecasters put the chance of the event reaching the highest strength threshold in the Northern Hemisphere winter at 63%. Scientists are debating whether climate change is increasing El Niño’s intensity as the event develops, wit...