El Niño has arrived: 5 ways California could get pummeled
Key takeaways
- El Niño has arrived and it could become one of the largest on record, and California may be in for a bumpy ride.
- While the climate pattern is often linked with a higher chance of more rain in Southern California, it can affect the state — and its famous coastline — in numerous ways.
- In fact, there’s a 63% chance El Niño could be “very strong” toward the end of the year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.
A woman watches as workers clean debris from mudslides that were triggered by a storm in Forest Falls, Calif., on Sept. 19. (William Liang / For The Times) By Rong-Gong Lin II Staff Writer Follow June 15, 2026 3 AM PT 10 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
El Niño has arrived and it could become one of the largest on record, and California may be in for a bumpy ride.
While the climate pattern is often linked with a higher chance of more rain in Southern California, it can affect the state — and its famous coastline — in numerous ways. That’s especially possible during a strong El Niño event, as this one is shaping up to be.