As cities prepare for 2026’s super El Niño, some crucial blind spots can’t be ignored
A climate resilience researcher warns that the El Niño expected through early 2027 could be among the strongest on record, already linked to the hottest U.S. summer on record, Panama Canal shipping slowdowns, and a busy Pacific hurricane season. The concern is that city planning tends to focus on levees, dams and drainage while giving less attention to residents who can't easily prepare or evacuate.
A study with Tufts University found governments often invest heavily in physical infrastructure, like seawalls tied to specific funding streams, while underinvesting in the harder, longer-term coordination needed to protect people experiencing homelessness, older adults, or those with disabilities. Seattle-area levee failures in December 2025 are cited as an example of infrastructure repairs discussed for years but never completed.
Los Angeles is running scenario exercises across county departments to find gaps before disaster hits, while officials in the Bay Area and Durham County, North Carolina are publicly discussing risks to encourage residents to prepare.
The full dispatch is available from the source below.