It's been an intense hurricane season in the Pacific and there's still a long way to go

Phys · Sep 25, 2026 · 865 words · By John Raby

Natural Disaster Impact Climate and Weather Patterns El Niño Phenomenon

headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing

Generate a natural audio summary of this story

Daily briefing

What to know about Natural Disaster Impact

The article reports on an intense hurricane season in the Pacific Ocean, attributing the increased storm activity to a strong El Niño event. It provides historical context on El Niño's effects and details the specific impacts and risks currently facing Mexico and Hawaii.

Propaganda risk 20%

Claims checked 20

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center88%

Right12%

8 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

It's been an intense hurricane season in the Pacific and there's still a long way to go Andrew Zinin Chief Editor It's already been an intense hurricane season in the Pacific Ocean—and there's still quite a ways to go.

Why it matters

Tropical storms have spawned in what seems like assembly-line fashion in recent weeks, as El Niño conditions that emerged in June have caused waters to grow warmer than normal, setting off a chain of unusual weather around much of the world.

Common ground

"It's ramping up to be perhaps the strongest El Niño on record," University of Miami hurricane expert Brian McNoldy said.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Natural Disaster Impact story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Tropical weather activity in the Atlantic has been virtually silent this year?
How does this story connect Natural Disaster Impact with Climate and Weather Patterns over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-09-intense-hurricane-season-pacific.html

analyticsAnalysis

20%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 20 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 10

check_circle Corroborated 4

info Single Source 3

verified Verified By Reference 2

cancel Disputed 1

info

Claim 1: “Tropical weather activity in the Atlantic has been virtually silent this year.”

SINGLE SOURCE

One source explicitly states the 2026 Atlantic season has been 'very quiet so far'. Other sources discuss forecasts for 2023 or general mildness, but do not corroborate the 'virtually silent' status for the current year.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — And that forecast is likely to be revised to even lower numbers in June, said Colorado State’s hurricane expert Phil Klotzbach. This is after nine of the last 10 Atlantic hurricane seasons have been a…
https://www.adn.com/nation-world/2026/05/21/atlantic-hurrica…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be less active than recent years, due to competing factors — some that suppress storm development and some that fuel it — driving this year's over…
https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/2023-atlantic-hurricane-se…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has been very quiet so far, and that trend could continue, according to forecasters. Colorado State University has updated its long-running hurricane outlook for the…
https://www.al.com/weather/2026/08/any-hurricanes-on-the-hor…

info

Claim 2: “The number of hurricanes in the eastern Pacific has already surpassed what occurs in a typical season.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim is explicitly stated in one web search result, but other results only mention the number of major hurricanes (3) without confirming if the total number of hurricanes has surpassed the typical seasonal average.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Current Context. Three major hurricanes have formed in the Eastern Pacific so far. The 2026 Eastern Pacific hurricane season has produced three major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher) as of September …
https://www.octagonai.co/markets/climate-and-weather/hurrica…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The number of hurricanes in the eastern Pacific has already surpassed what occurs in a typical season. This week alone, Hurricane Polo drenched Mexico's Pacific coast as it seesaws between Category 4 …
https://phys.org/news/2026-09-intense-hurricane-season-pacif…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Weather Underground provides information about tropical storms and hurricanes for locations worldwide. Use hurricane tracking maps, 5-day forecasts, computer models and satellite imagery to track stor…
https://www.wunderground.com/hurricane

schedule

Claim 3: “heavy rains in March caused the worst flooding to hit Hawaii in two decades.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 4: “In 1998, El Niño was blamed for flooding in China that killed 4,150 people, most along the Yangtze River.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 5: “From 1991 to 2020, there was an average of 15 named storms in the eastern Pacific per season, which runs from May 15 to Nov. 30.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources confirm the 1991-2020 average of 15 named storms in the eastern Pacific and the season dates (May 15 to Nov 30).

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1991 Pacific hurricane season was a near-average Pacific hurricane season. The worst storm this year was Tropical Storm Ignacio, which killed 23 people in Mexico and injured 40 others. Elsewhere, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Pacific_hurricane_season

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Pacific hurricane season is the current Pacific hurricane season in the Northern Hemisphere. The season officially began on May 15, 2026, and will end on November 30, 2026. For the Central P…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Pacific_hurricane_season

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Pacific typhoon season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The season runs throughout 2026, although most tropical cyclone…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Pacific_typhoon_season

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 6: “Lala in August and Lowell in early September combined to destroy or damage more than 510 homes and cause $168 million in damage to public infrastructure.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 7: “three Pacific hurricanes have reached Category 5 strength, tying a record set in 2002”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While Wikipedia entries for the 2026 season and Category 5 hurricanes exist, none of the provided evidence explicitly confirms that three hurricanes reached Category 5 this year or that this tied a 2002 record.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Category 4, the second-highest classification on the Saffir–Simpson scale, is used for tropical cyclones that have winds of 130–156 mph (209–251 km/h; 113–136 kn). The division of the eastern and cent…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Category_4_Pacific_hur…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — A Category 5 Pacific hurricane is a tropical cyclone in the Pacific Ocean that reaches Category 5 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, the highest possible classification on the scale. Hur…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Category_5_Pacific_hur…

schedule

Claim 8: “Two hurricanes came within 200 miles (320 kilometers) of Hawaii in 1957... Then it occurred in 2014, 2016 and 2018”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 9: “For the central Pacific, it was 14 in 2015.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 10: “That was followed in May by a magnitude-6.0 earthquake”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 11: “El Ninos don't follow a regular schedule, occurring every two to seven years on average.”

CORROBORATED

The claim that El Niño events occur on average every two to seven years is confirmed by a cross-reference, NASA Science, and multiple web search results.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — El Niño events occur roughly every two to seven years, as the warm cycle alternates irregularly with its sibling La Niña—a cooling pattern in the eastern Pacific—and with neutral conditions.
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/explore/el-nino/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — El Niño and La Niña often alternate, but sometimes we can have two of the same event back to back. On average, they occur every two to seven years. Additional reporting by Erwan Rivault.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj97npgk92po

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — These events are known for significantly impacting weather patterns globally, including changes in precipitation and temperature. On average, El Niño and La Niña events occur approximately every 2 to …
https://brainly.com/question/59351865

+ 1 more evidence source

check_circle

Claim 12: “Hurricane Polo drenched Mexico's Pacific coast as it seesaws between Category 4 and 5.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Hurricane Polo's impact on Mexico's coast and its intensity fluctuating between Category 4 and 5.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hurricane Nolo, also known as Typhoon Nolo, was a powerful, long-lived, and long-tracked tropical cyclone that became the fifth-wettest tropical cyclone on record to affect the U.S. state of Hawaii. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Nolo

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hurricane Polo was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that became the second-most intense Pacific hurricane on record, with a central pressure of 892 mbar (26.34 inHg), behind only Hurricane Patri…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Polo

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 13: “In 2015 there were nine major hurricanes, of Category 3 or higher, in the eastern Pacific, but no reported deaths.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

cancel

Claim 14: “The most active season on record in the eastern Pacific was 1992, when there were 25 named storms”

DISPUTED

The claim states 1992 had 25 named storms. However, Wikipedia explicitly states the 1992 Pacific hurricane season featured 27 named storms.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1992 Pacific hurricane season was the most active Pacific hurricane season on record, featuring 27 named storms. The season also produced the third-highest ACE value on record in the basin, only s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Pacific_hurricane_season

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1992 Pacific typhoon season was the fifth consecutive above-average season, producing 31 tropical storms, 16 typhoons and five super typhoons. It had no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1992.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Pacific_typhoon_season

verified

Claim 15: “El Niño conditions that emerged in June have caused waters to grow warmer than normal”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms that the 2026-2027 El Niño event onset was declared on June 2, 2026, and describes it as the strongest ever measured for its time of year, which inherently involves warmer than normal waters.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Super El Niño events, officially called very strong El Niño events, are climatic phenomena resulting from the average sea surface temperatures in parts of the Pacific Ocean rising by 2° Celsius or mor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_El_Niño_events

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026–2027 El Niño is the ongoing El Niño event, with its onset declared on 2 June 2026 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It is the strongest El Niño ever measured for its time of yea…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026–2027_El_Niño_event

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a global climate phenomenon that emerges from variation in winds and sea surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific Ocean. Those variations have an irregular…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Niño–Southern_Oscillation

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 16: “During another strong El Niño in 1997, hundreds of people died when Hurricane Pauline tore across Mexico's Pacific coast.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 17: “both the eastern Pacific and the central Pacific have seen four more tropical storms than is normal to date”

SINGLE SOURCE

This specific statistic (four more tropical storms than normal in both basins) is only mentioned in one source citing Matthew Rosencrans of NOAA.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Thanks to El Niño, both the eastern Pacific and the central Pacific have seen four more tropical storms than is normal to date with more than two months left in the hurricane season, said Matthew Rose…
https://phys.org/news/2026-09-intense-hurricane-season-pacif…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — An uninterrupted sequence of tropical storms has developed in recent weeks, driven by El Niño conditions that emerged in June. Higher-than-average ocean temperatures have subsequently disrupted global…
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/pacific-el…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Information about this data. This page is updated every 15 minutes with the latest information on active storms and disturbances in all ocean basins from the Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecast system…
https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/storminfo/

schedule

Claim 18: “Lala also caused $21.5 million in damage to 38 schools.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 19: “That same year Tropical Storm Nora gave landlocked southwestern Arizona an unusual soaking.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 20: “During El Niño, low-level surface winds blowing from east to west across the Pacific are weakened or sometimes reversed.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (NASA Science, Australian government/educational source, and a news article) confirm that El Niño is associated with the weakening or reversal of east-to-west trade winds.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Typically, the equatorial trade winds blow from east to west across the Pacific Ocean. El Niño events are associated with a weakening, or even reversal, of the prevailing trade winds.
https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/updates/articles/a008-el-nino…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Easterly trade winds (which blow from the Americas toward Asia) falter and can even turn around into westerlies. This allows great masses of warm water to slosh from the western Pacific toward the Ame…
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/explore/el-nino/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — During El Niño, low-level surface winds blowing from east to west across the Pacific are weakened or sometimes reversed. It causes a shift in the jet stream and drives record global heat, severe droug…
https://phys.org/news/2026-09-intense-hurricane-season-pacif…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.