Super El Niño is here. What's so super about it?
Federal forecasters are tracking a powerful El Niño event, often referred to as 'Super El Niño,' which is expected to significantly alter global weather patterns. The phenomenon is caused by warming waters in the eastern Pacific, which redistribute heat and impact climate variability worldwide.
Why it matters
Understanding and predicting these climate patterns is critical for disaster preparedness and potentially saving lives as extreme weather events become more frequent.
Federal forecasters say this year the planet could see the strongest El Niño event on record. It's already being called "Super El Niño" and even "Godzilla El Niño." El Niño is a natural climate pattern that has far-reaching impacts across the planet, potentially affecting hundreds of millions of people.
Climate Studying this super El Niño could save lives. NOAA is scaling back research Where those impacts happen can vary drastically from one El Niño to the next. Here are the basics of what this historic event could bring.
El Niño occurs every two to seven years. It develops when a vast amount of water in the eastern Pacific Ocean warms up around the equator . That water releases massive heat, redistributing warmth from the ocean to the atmosphere. That shifts weather patterns around the world.
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