Strongest El Niño in 150 Years Forming, Scientist Warns at July 23 Briefing
Berkeley Earth climate scientist Zeke Hausfather warned on July 23 that the strongest El Niño in 150 years is forming. Since June, Pacific sea surface warming and wind patterns have intensified rapidly. Fourteen climate models predict a median peak sea surface temperature 0.8 degrees Celsius higher than the 2015-2016 record. The previous strong El Niño in 1997-1998 caused $5.7 trillion in global economic losses. The short two-year interval since the last event raises questions about whether human-caused climate change is shifting the ENSO cycle.
- Effective
- -32
- Intensity
- 70
- Confidence
- 60%
- Horizon
- Medium term