El Niño Set to Reach Record Strength Before Winter 2026-27
Listen to the story
A weather pattern called El Niño is growing stronger. Experts say it may become one of the strongest ever seen. This could happen before winter 2026-27.
El Niño is a natural event in the Pacific Ocean. It happens when the ocean water gets warmer than usual. This warm water changes weather around the world.
Scientists use a fall outlook to guess future weather. An outlook is a plan for what may happen next. This fall, El Niño is very strong. It is already changing temperature and precipitation patterns in many places.
Temperature means how hot or cold it is. Precipitation means rain or snow that falls from the sky.
Because this El Niño is so strong, it can show us what future winters might look like. Scientists call this event a record El Niño. A record means it is the biggest or strongest ever measured.
People are watching this event closely. It could bring big changes to weather this winter.
Vocabulary15 words
- El Niño
- a weather pattern that makes parts of the ocean warmer
- Pacific Ocean
- a very big ocean between Asia and America
- outlook
- a guess about what will happen in the future
- temperature
- how hot or cold something is
- precipitation
- rain or snow
- record
- the biggest or best ever
- forecast
- a guess about future weather
- strength
- how powerful something is
- pattern
- something that happens again and again in the same way
- historic
- very important in history
- winter
- the coldest season of the year
- global
- about the whole world
- impact
- a strong effect on something
- climate
- the usual weather in a place over a long time
- event
- something that happens
Quiz
Answer key
1. A weather pattern linked to warm ocean water 2. In the Pacific Ocean 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A weather pattern called _____ is growing stronger.
Experts say it may become one of the strongest ever _____.
El Niño is a natural event in the Pacific _____.
It happens when the ocean water gets _____ than usual.
This warm water changes weather around the _____.
Scientists use a fall _____ to guess future weather.
This fall, El Niño is very _____.
It is already changing temperature and _____ patterns.
Scientists call this event a _____ El Niño.
It could bring big changes to weather this _____.
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