El Niño has strengthened significantly over the past month, with Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) reporting that atmospheric indicators recorded their strongest July values on record. The agency stated that while the event remains in its early stages, impacts on New Zealand's weather patterns are anticipated during the spring outlook period. Scientists now estimate a 90% probability that El Niño will reach or surpass "very strong" intensity, with peak conditions and potential significant impacts expected during the 2026-27 summer. If this occurs, it would likely rank among the top five strongest events in recent history, comparable to the 1972, 1982, 1991, 1997, and 2015 events, which all had sea surface temperature anomalies near or above 2.5°C.