Envu Solutions to Manage the 2026-2027 Super El Niño
How Will the Forecasted El Niño Affect Turfgrass Disease and Root Management?
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) forecasts indicate that a strengthening El Niño could bring warmer temperatures, increased rainfall and prolonged periods of cloud cover to many regions of the US this fall and winter. For golf course superintendents and lawn care operators, these changing weather patterns may create conditions that favor both foliar and root diseases, expanded weed germination windows, and overall increased stress on turfgrass systems.
While the exact impact will vary by region, warmer and wetter conditions can lead to extended leaf wetness periods, saturated soils and increased disease pressure from pathogens that thrive in moist environments. Turf managers may also face greater challenges protecting root systems, maintaining turf quality and planning cultural and agronomic programs throughout the season.
Preparing for these conditions starts with understanding the risks and identifying proactive management strategies before disease pressure intensifies.
To help turf professionals navigate the potential challenges associated with El Niño, the Envu Green Solutions Team has developed a series of resources focused on weed and disease management, root protection and seasonal agronomic planning. Explore the resources below to learn how forecasted El Niño conditions could affect your operation and discover practical strategies to help maintain healthy turf throughout the months ahead.
Resources to manage an El Niño
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How Will the Forecasted El Niño Affect Golf Course Turfgrass?
As golf course superintendents look ahead to fall and winter, one question is becoming increasingly important
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Golf Webinar: Weathering an El Niño
The 2026-2027 "super" El Niño is forecasted to bring cooler temperatures, increased cloud cover, and up to 10-40% more rainfall across key golf markets. Watch this on-demand webinar to learn practical strategies for managing excess moisture, combating weed and disease pressure and maintaining playability through challenging weather conditions. Industry consultant Todd Lowe and the Envu Green Solutions Team share how forward-thinking golf course superintendents across Florida and the Gulf region can proactively prepare.
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Lawn Webinar: Lawn Care Solutions: NOW & Later
Solve Today’s Warm Season Turf Problems and Get Ahead of Fall/Winter Turf Challenges. Green Solutions Team Lindsey Hoffman Chappell, Ph.D. and Adam Gore, Ph.D. Share practical, in-the-field discussion on what lawn and landscape operators are facing right now — and how to stay ahead of summer pest pressures. Additionally, they spoke in-depth about potential challenges that you might battle because of the strengthening El Niño in 2026-2027.
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Fast Facts: Preparing for and Surviving El Niño Conditions
Characterized by cooler temperatures, increased cloud cover, and significantly elevated rainfall, El Niño conditions can quickly expose weaknesses in turf systems.
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Golf solutions: Pythium root rot
Pythium root rot (PRR) is a major disease of putting greens caused by more than 20 Pythium species that differ in host preference, geographic distribution, and temperature requirements. It is most commonly diagnosed on cool-season turf during hot, wet summer conditions but can also occur in saturated soils during spring, winter, or periods of slow growth.
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Golf solutions: Take-all root rot (TARR)
Take-all root rot (TARR) is a root disease of warm-season turfgrass caused by at least five different soilborne pathogens belonging to the genera Gaeumannomyces, Candidacolonium, or Magnaporthiopsis.
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How El Niño and La Niña impact snow mold in the Midwest
One of the biggest difficulties with snow mold control is that there is typically only one shot to get it right. Perhaps snow mold hasn’t been observed in years, so the decision was made to save a few bucks on the snow mold fungicide program. Then, of course, the worst winter in a decade arrives with feet of snow piling up outside.
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