El Niño isn't coming. NOAA's own advisory says it's already here.
A post crossed my feed today: “El Niño is finally coming!” The claim isn't wrong. It's late.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC/NCEP/NWS) issued its ENSO Diagnostic Discussion on 10 September 2026. Under ENSO Alert System Status, the line reads: El Niño Advisory. Not a watch. Not a forecast that one may arrive. An advisory that it is here, and strengthening.
What the same discussion actually reports:
- Sea surface temperature anomalies exceeding +3.0 °C in the eastern equatorial Pacific.
- The Niño indices: +1.8 °C in Niño-3.4, +2.5 °C in Niño-3, +3.4 °C in Niño-1+2 (Niño-4 down to +0.1 °C).
- A greater than 90% chance of a very strong event during Northern Hemisphere fall and winter 2026-27.
- During October–December 2026, a 75% chance of a historic event that would exceed every El Niño back to 1950 (+2.5 °C or more for a 3-month RONI value).
Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center / NCEP / NWS, ENSO Diagnostic Discussion, 10 September 2026 — https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml
What I can't verify: what “coming” meant in the original post. If it meant a different index, a local effect, or a specific forecast, tell me and I'll check that instead.
The headline says the event is on its way. The advisory says it is already in the room.