Super El Niño could transform US winter weather
The winter of 2026/2027 could bring sharply contrasting weather across North America, with above-normal temperatures across Canada and the northern United States but increased snowfall potential in parts of the central and eastern United States, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to Severe Weather Europe research material, the December-February ECMWF forecast shows strong El Niño forcing, with a deep low-pressure zone over the North Pacific, blocking high pressure over Canada and a strong Pacific jet stream. This pattern could bring warmer conditions to Canada, the northern US, the West Coast and the Northeast, while Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Southeast could see cooler-than-normal temperatures, cloud cover and rain.
The pattern may become more pronounced in February, when a deeper low-pressure zone could extend from the Pacific across the central, southern and eastern US. This could bring colder-than-normal conditions to large parts of the country and southwestern Canada.
The setup could also increase the potential for major winter storms, ice events and heavy snowfall. Above-normal snowfall is forecast across parts of the Southwest, Southeast, Central Plains, Midwest, East and Mid-Atlantic, while Canada, the Pacific Northwest and the northern Great Lakes could see below-average snowfall.
The outlook remains a developing trend rather than a fixed forecast and could change as winter approaches.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned of a strong El Niño that could reshape global weather over the coming months.
