Peru's national El Niño research body, Enfen, said in its latest report on Friday that rainfall linked to the current Súper Niño event will keep building across the Peruvian coast for the remainder of 2026, running above normal levels, according to Clarin.com. The agency said the episode's effects along Peru's shoreline will be unusually severe until February 2027, after which they should weaken gradually through the middle of next year.
Enfen describes Súper Niño as an abnormal warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean beyond its usual range. The report states that when an event of this kind is strong, the rains it generates on Peru's coast can trigger major flooding.
Why it matters
The forecast reaches beyond Peru's borders. Clarin.com reports that the same phenomenon is being watched closely in Argentina, where the 2026 southern right whale season in Chubut has unfolded unlike any in recent memory. Dead whales have been found along the coast of Playa Paraná in Puerto Madryn and around Península Valdés and the Golfo Nuevo, beginning with calves and later including juveniles and adults, the outlet reported.
The Enfen assessment also carries weight for agriculture. The agency said the unusually high temperatures and the shifts in rainfall — whether too much or too little — should be taken into account when weighing risks to different crops.
Where the rain is expected to fall
According to Enfen, the heaviest precipitation is likely to be concentrated and intense along the northern coast. Conditions will differ inland: the Andean highlands and the Amazon region are expected to see rainfall below their typical averages over the same period.
Air temperatures along the entire Peruvian coast remain well above their normal climatic values, the agency said, and new records are possible before the coming summer.
Clarin.com also reported that the Súper Niño's peak effects on Peru's coastline will persist until February 2027, then decline progressively until roughly mid-year.
Preparations under way in Argentina
Coverage linked by Clarin.com suggests Argentine provinces are already adjusting to the prospect of a wetter cycle. La Capital reported growing demand for flood insurance in Rosario as El Niño approaches. La Voz del Interior published guidance for Córdoba residents on receiving official storm and hail alerts through WhatsApp.
TN raised a larger question, asking whether El Niño could bring an end to two decades of drought in Argentina and mark the start of a new era of rainfall. MDZ Online reported that forecaster Mauricio Saldívar discussed when the peak would arrive, which provinces stand to be most affected, and how people should prepare.
Those Argentine reports were referenced in the source material without further detail, and their specific forecasts were not included in the summary reviewed here.
What to watch
The next signal will be Enfen's subsequent reports on Pacific temperatures and coastal rainfall, alongside how Argentine provinces and insurers respond as the event builds toward its expected peak.
