Record El Niño Drives Forecast for Above-Average Snow in California
A developing 'super El Niño' has reached record strength, with Pacific Ocean temperatures exceeding 3.4°C above average. This unprecedented warming is projected to drive above-average snowfall in California and Nevada for the 2026–2027 season, particularly in the Central Sierra. While the event promises heavy precipitation, forecasters caution that extreme warmth may not translate to historic snow totals everywhere, as seen in the 2015–2016 event.