05/14/2026
El Niño is back in the conversation, and farmers from Texas to the Pacific Northwest are watching closely. NOAA's April 2026 outlook puts a 50% chance of a strong El Nino developing this year, with a 25% chance it becomes a historic "super" event by late 2026 or early 2027.
For some regions, that could mean welcome rain relief after years of drought. For others, it raises real questions about how their land will handle whatever comes next.
Here's what we know: you can't control the weather. But you can control how prepared your soil is to handle it.
Healthy, active soil microbes improve water infiltration, increase water holding capacity, and help crops push through abiotic stress, whether that means too much rain or not enough. A thriving soil microbiome is essentially your farm's first line of defense against whatever the sky decides to do.
We wrote about exactly this connection on our blog. Worth a read heading into a season with a lot of weather uncertainty. Find it in the comments below.
https://hubs.la/Q04fL1dT0
First Comment: Learn more about how soil impacts your crop’s ability to access water 👉 https://hubs.la/Q04fL5yV0
A fast-developing El Niño could bring much-needed rain to the Plains, but timing and coverage remain uncertain. Brian Bledsoe explains what a strong event could mean for drought relief.