Is El Niño Making Storms And Flash Floods in The Southwest Worse?
A chaotic climate phenomenon is intensifying heavy rains and floods in the Southwest, experts say. A natural warming cycle called El Niño is sizzling Pacific Ocean waters, leaking moisture into the air that can fuel passing storms. Such El Niño …
A climate phenomenon known as El Niño is amplifying heavy rainfall and flooding in the Southwestern United States, according to experts. This natural warming cycle causes Pacific Ocean waters to heat up, releasing moisture into the air which fuels passing storms. Although El Niño events occur irregularly every few years, the current episode is unusually intense, described by meteorologist Jeff Masters as a "super duper El Niño."
Flash floods prompted evacuations in northern New Mexico and central Arizona, while a Colorado ski town prepared for catastrophic river levels. In the past two weeks, over 20 trillion gallons of water fell on the Four Corners states and Nevada. Climate scientist Daniel Swain of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources noted that this year's extreme El Niño is adding more moisture to the air and shifting atmospheric winds toward the Southwest, creating ideal conditions for storms.
The El Niño effect is intensified by the warming of the world's oceans due to human-caused climate change. Jeffrey Cerveny, a meteorologist at Arizona State University, explained that warmer ocean temperatures make these El Niño situations even more severe. The phenomenon is expected to peak in December and could continue affecting the region for months afterward. Experts advised staying vigilant with weather forecasts, preparing ahead, and following evacuation orders from local authorities.
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