El Niño intensifies in Costa Rica, and drought and extreme rainfall alerts are expanded.

On September 18, 2026, the National Emergency Commission (CNE) of Costa Rica expanded alert levels across the country due to the intensification of the El Niño phenomenon. The decision follows persistent anomalous conditions in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, which have resulted in an irregular distribution of rainfall and a combination of drought conditions and extreme precipitation events.

While authorities are responding to these climate-driven emergencies, meteorological experts note that current scientific capabilities remain limited in their ability to forecast specific extreme weather events. Neither traditional physical models nor modern artificial intelligence systems can yet predict the exact timing or intensity of the most severe storms, complicating long-term disaster preparedness efforts.