Since June, scientists have been warning that Earth might experience an El Niño unlike any other. It now appears they were right. The periodic climate beast that emerged this year is stronger than any ever seen. And the really worrisome news: It likely hasn’t even reached its peak.
El Niños develop in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Over a short period, they release extraordinary amounts of ocean heat into the air. And by September 21, the daily sea-surface temperature where El Niños form was already 3.08 degrees Celsius (5.54 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the average from 1991 to 2020.
Explainer: El Niño and La Niña
El Niños can fuel droughts, floods, heat waves and severe storms. The Oceanic Niño Index is a traditional measurement of their strengt...
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