NASA warns Super El Nino is imminent: How to protect yourself

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has warned that a rare weather event is imminent amid fears that Super El Nino is inching closer every day.

The American space agency used satellite data, from Sentinel–6 Michael Freilich satellite, which was launched in 2020, to analyse the water across South America and detected hundreds of miles of warm water arriving in the Pacific Ocean.

NASA said that the signs point to a strong possibility that Super El Nino would emerge later this year.

The space exploration agency noted, “Waves of higher, warmer water move eastward across the Pacific Ocean a few months before an El Niño emerges. Several have shown up in 2026 satellite data.”

For the unversed, a Super El Niño is an extreme version of a natural climate event where a massive pool of unusually warm water builds up in the Pacific Ocean which then acts like a giant heater pushing global temperatures to record highs and causing extreme, chaotic weather worldwide.

El Nino events have occurred naturally for thousands of years, their intensity and impacts are much stronger this year.

Scientists have predicted around 3C average temperature rise globally, which will cause extreme heat nearly all across the world.

How to protect yourself against El Nino:

• Monitor official weather forecasts and warnings.
• Prepare for extreme weather in your area, whether heavy rainfall, flooding, heat, or drought.
• Keep an emergency supply of food, water, medications, and essential items.
• Have an evacuation plan if you live in a flood- or landslide-prone area.
• Conserve water if local authorities warn of drought conditions.
• Secure your home against storms and heavy rain.
• Avoid floodwaters and follow evacuation orders.
• Stay hydrated and protect yourself from heat during unusually hot weather.
• Protect crops, livestock, and water supplies if you live in a rural area.
• Follow guidance from local emergency management agencies.

According to Josh Willis, a sea level researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this year’s El Nino event started later than the ones that occurred in 1997 and 2015.

However, he warned, “It’s beginning to catch up.”