Rare series of Pacific cyclones fueled by historic El Nino

A series of three powerful cyclones, fueled by a historic El Nino climate event, are currently brewing in the Pacific Ocean. Hurricane Lowell, a Category 5 storm, is expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the Hawaiian Islands. Hurricane Karina, a Category 4 storm, is also on track to pass to the northeast of Hawaii.

Tropical Storm Marie, currently a few hundred miles south of Baja California, is expected to become a hurricane later today. Climate scientists say the rarity of seeing a train of three cyclones in such close proximity to each other is noteworthy. An intense El Nino year in 2015 saw a similar occurrence, with four cyclones crossing the Pacific at once.

The warming of the Pacific Ocean due to this El Nino has significantly increased the likelihood of these storms intensifying. The sea surface temperature anomaly is already near record levels, making this year's El Nino potentially the strongest on record. El Nino, a natural climate cycle in the tropical Pacific, occurs every two to seven years and is characterized by warmer-than-average surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific.

This phenomenon leads to more storms and clouds in the region, causing global climate impacts. Climate change exacerbates the effects of El Nino, making extreme weather events more intense.