"Triplet tropical cyclones astride the equator could help it develop."
"Three tropical cyclones are expected to flank the equator in the western Pacific by late this week — two in the Southern Hemisphere and one in the Northern Hemisphere. Twin tropical cyclones forming on either side of the equator typically happen once or twice a year, but seeing triplets is quite unusual. In this case, one (Tropical Cyclone Maila) is already at Category 2 strength and is unusually close to the equator, raising the risk of colossal rains and flooding in some places that seldom or never see tropical cyclones.
The other Southern Hemisphere storm, located well to the southeast of Maila — Cyclone Vaianu — is also a Cat 2 and is predicted to peak as a major Cat 3 storm by Tuesday. And in the Northern Hemisphere, a large tropical disturbance (Invest 90W) located to the north of Maila is predicted to become Tropical Storm Sinlaku by late this week, potentially threatening Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands this weekend, according to Monday morning forecasts from the GFS and European (ECMWF) models.
These three cyclones will provide an extra nudge for what’s already one of the strongest embryonic set-ups for El Niño that some longtime researchers have ever observed. The El Niño and La Niña patterns in the tropical Pacific influence weather across the world."
Bob Henson and Jeff Masters report for Yale Climate Connections April 6, 2026.
SEE ALSO:
"Strongest El Niño in a Century? What This Rare Phenomenon Could Bring." (Washington Post)
