Fears of record-breaking El Niño event this year raise climate alarms

Environment

We don’t yet know how strong the developing El Niño climate pattern will be, but even a weak one risks severe global disruption

By James Dinneen

El Niño occurs when tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures are high

JUAN GAERTNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Alamy

The possibility of a record-strength El Niño climate pattern this year is raising alarm among climate scientists, who are watching Pacific Ocean temperatures closely. Even a weaker El Niño on top of human-driven global warming could have sweeping consequences for the climate, ranging from coral reef bleaching in Australia to flooding in East Africa, and also cost the global economy trillions of dollars.

“We have enough climate madness going on elsewhere without adding an El Niño to it,” …

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