Dolphin Reaches Cat 5 Near the Date Line Amid El Niño-Driven Pacific Burst
Historic Super Typhoon Dolphin intensified to 165 mph winds and a 910 mb pressure to become the fifth Category 5 tropical cyclone of 2026, strongest typhoon on record to develop so close to the International Date Line and tied to a strong El Niño. It poses no immediate land threat through the weekend but could affect the Ogasawara Islands and approach the East China Sea next week, with winds expanding as it slows weakening to Cat 2–1. The event underscores El Niño’s boost to Pacific typhoon activity and fits long-term trends of increasing Cat 4–5 storms in a warming climate.