Super El Niño Could Push 2026 Toward Record Cat 5 Hurricanes
A strengthening Super El Niño is driving an unusually active Pacific for 2026, producing multiple Category 5 storms including Dolphin (the year’s fifth), and putting the year on track to surpass the 1997 global Cat 5 record. NOAA expects above-normal Pacific activity while Atlantic activity remains relatively quiet, signaling a potential record-breaking year for Cat 5 hurricanes.