El Nino is here and scientists fear it’ll be big, bad and costly with heat, floods, droughts, fires

Meteorologists have announced the formation of El Nino in a warmed Pacific Ocean, with expectations of historic strength. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed its existence, noting a 63% chance it will rank among the largest El Nino events on record. This natural warming cycle is predicted to exacerbate global warming and intensify extreme weather events worldwide, potentially rivaling or exceeding the damaging impacts of the 1997 El Nino. Scientists warn of increased heat, floods, droughts, and wildfires globally. The effects will vary by region, with potential benefits for the drought-stricken Middle East but increased danger for places like Hawaii and parts of western South America. In the U.S., El Nino may bring heavier rainfall to the South and benefit agriculture, though overall higher temperatures could dampen economic growth.

The US weather agency announced on Thursday that the El Niño phenomenon has arrived. Scientists anticipate this natural climate occurrence, which warms Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and alters global weather patterns, will intensify by year-end and could reach historic strength. El Niño is expected to worsen existing global warming caused by fossil fuels and amplify extreme weather events. This pattern is associated with droughts, floods, and elevated temperatures worldwide.