Record-breaking El Niño could unleash extreme weather globally
Climate experts warn that the current El Niño cycle is on track to be the strongest on record, potentially leading to extreme global weather and record-breaking temperatures. The phenomenon, exacerbated by human-caused climate change, is already linked to increased wildfire activity in regions like Indonesia.
Why it matters
Understanding the impact of El Niño is critical for global disaster preparedness and long-term climate policy planning.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This year's El Ni o is on track to be the strongest on record, threatening to unleash extreme weather across the globe and make 2027 the hottest recorded year by far.Stacked on top of long-term human-caused climate change, the temporary jolt will offer a glimpse of the heat the world can expect by the late 2030s, experts say.Here's what to know.What is El Ni o?El Ni o is the warming phase of a natural cycle in the tropical Pacific known as the El Ni o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).It sets in when trade winds that blow from east to west temporarily ease up, allowing warm water which normally piles up in the western Pacific Ocean to slide back east and rise to the surface.When those warmer-than-average surface temperatures last for a few months, they cause more storms and clouds over the region, "which cause ripple effects through the entire…
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