Is a ‘super El Nino’ on the way and what impact will it have?

Environment
13 Apr 2026 • 8:08 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Is a ‘super El Nino’ on the way and what impact will it have?

  • The continental United States experienced its most abnormally hot month in 132 years of records this March, according to federal weather data.
  • March's average temperature of 10.47 degrees Celsius (50.85 degrees Fahrenheit) was 5.19 degrees Celsius (9.35 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 20th-century normal, surpassing the previous record set in March 2012.
  • This March was not only the hottest on record for the US but also the most abnormally hot month in history for the Lower 48 states, regardless of the month.
  • The average maximum temperature for March was particularly high, at 6.3 degrees Celsius (11.4 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 20th-century average, almost a degree warmer than the average daytime high for April.
  • Over 19,800 daily temperature records for heat were broken across the country, following the hottest winter on record, with forecasts predicting a strong El Niño will further increase global warmth.

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