Strong El Nino winter storms to hit West Coast and South

A strong El Nino will bring severe winter storms to the West Coast and the southern half of the United States, UPI reported. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its winter outlook on Thursday detailing the expected weather shifts across the country. [1]

Government forecasters said that the El Nino event will likely peak in strength in December. It will continue to affect the contiguous United States throughout the winter months, although much of the nation is still expected to experience mild temperatures. [1]

The El Nino Southern Oscillation is a global climate phenomenon driven by variations in winds and sea surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific Ocean. The warming phase of the sea surface temperature is called El Nino, while the cooling phase is known as La Nina. [2]

The winter forecast follows significant storm activity earlier in the season. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Hurricane Simon struck the west coast of Mexico with heavy rain, and Hurricane Isaias headed toward the United States northern Gulf Coast as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026. [5][6]