{
  "id": 5282381,
  "title": "Rare trio of Pacific hurricanes fueled by historic El Niño",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/rare-trio-of-pacific-hurricanes-fueled-by-historic-el-nino",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-03T08:21:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-rare-trio-pacific-hurricanes-fueled.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "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.",
  "key_points": [
    "Three hurricanes formed in Pacific last Thursday fueled by historic El Niño.",
    "Hurricane Lowell near Hilo, Hawaii, expected to remain major for days.",
    "Hurricane Marie expected to strengthen through following Friday."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Rare series of Pacific cyclones fueled by historic El Nino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/rare-series-of-pacific-cyclones-fueled-by-historic-el-nino",
        "published": "2026-09-03T03:26:43.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}