# El Niño marine surge off California > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/el-nio-marine-surge-off-california > Updated: 2026-08-05T05:30:11.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. A strong El Niño event in late July 2026 warmed Pacific waters off California, drawing unusual marine species closer to shore. Scientists reported an uptick in great‑white shark sightings and the appearance of the tropical yellow‑bellied sea snake, with isolated incidents of bites near Santa Monica and San Diego. By early August, the El Niño pattern had intensified, prompting a larger influx of young great‑white sharks and expanding the list of species to include tiger, bull and hammerhead sharks. Researchers warned that the growing “shark summer” could increase encounters for fishermen, surfers and beachgoers, while the presence of highly venomous yellow‑banded sea snakes and rising stingray injuries added further risk. Both reports underscore how the El Niño‑driven temperature rise compounds existing climate‑change effects, reshaping California’s coastal ecosystem and heightening public‑safety concerns. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-05: El Niño fuels surge of young great white sharks and venomous sea snakes off California coast El Niño’s warming waters are pulling large numbers of young great white sharks, stingrays and venomous sea snakes toward California’s coast, prompting researchers to warn of heightened safety risks for swimmers 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-nio-fuels-surge-of-young-great-white-sharks-and-venomous-sea-snakes-off-california-coast ### 2026-07-31: El Niño drives surge of great white sharks and venomous sea snakes off California coast El Niño’s warm waters are drawing more great white sharks and venomous yellow‑bellied sea snakes to California, leading to rare but serious human bites and highlighting climate‑driven marine shifts. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-nio-drives-surge-of-great-white-sharks-and-venomous-sea-snakes-off-california-coast --- Cite as: El Niño marine surge off California. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/el-nio-marine-surge-off-california