Southwest US Lashes Under El Niño's Fury: Deadly Floods, Golf Ball Hail Hit
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The Southwest United States is currently reeling from severe El Niño-driven rainstorms that brought deadly flooding and golf ball-sized hail over the past weekend, stretching from October 31 to November 2, 2026. This extreme weather has forced mandatory evacuations, with areas like Colorado's San Juan River basin seeing historic water levels and communities grappling with widespread destruction. This "super" El Niño event, on track to be one of the strongest since 1950, is amplifying the risk across an already vulnerable region. Officials had warned that previously saturated ground would make even moderate rainfall dangerous, leading to the rapid onset of flash flooding in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. California's Governor Newsom had already declared a state of emergency, mobilizing resources in anticipation of the powerful El Niño's broader impacts this winter. While meteorologists suggest a brief reprieve from storms early this week, conditions could intensify again as the region heads deeper into the El Niño winter, expected to last through March 2027. The National Weather Service continues to issue flood watches, urging residents to remain vigilant and avoid nonessential travel amidst ongoing recovery efforts. The long-term forecast anticipates a wetter-than-average winter across the southern US, underlining the need for continued preparedness against further extreme weather events.