Rare trio of Pacific hurricanes fueled by historic El Niño
A rare trio of hurricanes were churning through the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, which scientists attributed to waters warmed by a historically strong El Niño phenomenon.
Three hurricanes—Hurricanes Karina and Lowell, both rated Category 4, and Tropical Storm Marie—formed in the Pacific Ocean last Thursday, fueled by historic El Niño warming. Climate scientist Julia Cole explained that these storms are rare, occurring only when the tropical Pacific is warmer than normal, which amplifies strong storms.
Lowell was located about 440 miles south of Hilo, Hawaii, and is expected to remain a major hurricane for several days, while Karina weakened slightly but is still forecast to stay a hurricane for a couple more days. Marie, situated 375 miles southwest of Baja California, is expected to strengthen through the following Friday. El Niño's warming effect on the atmosphere creates favorable conditions for hurricane intensification by reducing vertical wind shear, a key factor in storm development.
The sea surface temperature anomaly, indicating how much warmer the ocean is compared to average, is near an all-time high, according to atmospheric scientist Benjamin Kirtman. This year's El Niño has a 69% chance of becoming the strongest on record, affecting global weather patterns and exacerbating extreme weather events worldwide.
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- Rare series of Pacific cyclones fueled by historic El Nino freemalaysiatoday.com
