Brewing Super El Niño helps support monster Super Typhoons across the Western Pacific
El Niño warms water temperatures across much of the Pacific in the Northern Hemisphere, which helps fuel tropical development.
Typhoon In-Fa remains a powerful storm as it blasts past Northern Mariana Islands
Super Typhoon In-Fa blasted past the northernmost islands in the Northern Mariana islands in the Western Pacific on Saturday as the equivalent of a powerful Category 4 hurricane. In-Fa is the seventh Super Typhoon to form in the Western Pacific this year as a strong El Niño warms the waters across the basin.
THE TAKEAWAY
- A strong El Niño has helped fuel monster super typhoons in the Pacific.
- 2026 has seen seven super typhoons.
- A landfall on the U.S. territories of Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands is rare due to their small size, but the islands have now seen impacts from six tropical systems this year.
Typhoon In-Fa blasted past the northernmost islands of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Western Pacific on Saturday as the equivalent of a powerful Category 4 hurricane. In-Fa had weakened from super typhoon status and was the seventh super typhoon to form in the Western Pacific this year as a strong El Niño warms the waters across the basin.
The most Super Typhoons that have ever occurred in a single year is 11, which happened in 1997 and 1965, which were both Super El Niño years.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TYPHOON AND A SUPER TYPHOON?
Satellite imagery of powerful Super Typhoon In-Fa Near Northern Mariana Islands
Satellite imagery of powerful Super Typhoon In-Fa Near Northern Mariana Islands on Oct. 28, 2026.
The Western Pacific produces more tropical cyclones than any other basin because, unlike in the Atlantic and the Central and Eastern Pacific, typhoons can form year-round in the Western Pacific, although the main season is July through November, according to NOAA.
El Niño warms water temperatures across much of the Pacific in the Northern Hemisphere, which helps fuel tropical development.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HURRICANE AND A TYPHOON?
NOAA expects to declare Super El Niño conditions later this year, with an 83% chance of becoming the strongest El Niño since record-keeping began in 1950.
Take a look at some of the Western Pacific's strongest super typhoons this year, including the strongest storms on the planet in 2026:
In-fa
In-fa strengthened into a powerful Super Typhoon on Oct. 28, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph.
In-Fa became a classic annular storm with a massive eye and lack of rain bands.
It's forecast to gradually weaken in the open Pacific next week.
Champi
Earlier in October, Super Typhoon Champi tied Super Typhoon Sinlaku as the strongest storm to form in any basin this year with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph.
Satellite imagery of monster Super Typhoon Champi on Oct. 20, 2026
Satellite imagery of monster Super Typhoon Champi on Oct. 20, 2026
Champi was still a powerful Super Typhoon when its eye passed just south of Guam on Oct. 18.
The storm went on to cause significant damage and injured hundreds of people in northern Taiwan.
A temporary structure built for a traditional Taoist religious ceremony lies collapsed due to strong winds from Typhoon Champi in Keelung on October 24, 2026. ((Photo by I-Hwa Cheng / AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Sinlaku
Like Champi, Sinlaku peaked as a powerful Super Typhoon, with winds of 185 mph on April 12.
Satellite Imagery of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which was hours away from reaching the Mariana Islands on April 13, 2026. (CSU/CIRA & JMA/JAXA / FOX Weather)
Sinlaku became the first typhoon to make a direct hit on Saipan and Tinian in the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands since Yutu caused widespread destruction in 2018.
TYPHOON SINLAKU MAKES DIRECT HIT ON US TERRITORIES IN PACIFIC, BLASTING SAIPAN WITH 130 MPH WINDS
Sinlaku caused widespread devastation across Saipan and Tinian, leaving an estimated $1.5 billion plus in damage.
Damage from Typhoon Sinlaku in Saipan on Wednesday. (Ian Ahn / FOX Weather)
Bavi
Super Typhoon Bavi reached peak intensity on July 5, with winds of 180 mph.
Bavi's eye passed directly over Rota on July 6, the southernmost island in the Northern Mariana Islands, with maximum sustained winds still reported at 180 mph by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
SUPER TYPHOON BAVI REACHES 'GARGANTUAN' SIZE AS IT BARRELS TOWARD TAIWAN AND CHINA
Super Typhoon Bavi batters Mariana Islands with 100+ mph wind gusts
Super Typhoon Bavi continues to slam the Mariana Islands as a massive Category 5 equivalent storm, bringing gusts clocking in at tropical storm to hurricane strength. This exceptionally powerful system presents a life-threatening situation for the island chain. FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera breaks down the latest impacts and the storm's track:
Bavi caused widespread power outages on the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.
A landfall on Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands is rare due to their small size, but the islands have now seen impacts from six tropical systems this year.
Landfall on Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands is rare due to their small size, but the islands have now seen impacts from six tropical systems this year. (FOX Weather)
El Niño is one of three phases of a climate cycle called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It describes natural temperature changes in the central Pacific Ocean that alter atmospheric circulation and can greatly influence global weather.
Water temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific, averaged more than 2 degrees Celsius above normal in September, which is considered Super El Niño territory.
Temperatures have to remain 2 degrees above average for three months to officially be considered a Super El Niño event.