El Niño Is Reshaping This Year’s Hurricane Season
Summary
This year’s El Niño, a climate pattern with warmer ocean waters in the Pacific, is causing more hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean and fewer in the Atlantic. Currently, there are three tropical storms in the Pacific, including two strong hurricanes, while the Atlantic has no active hurricanes.Key Facts
- Three tropical storms are active in the Pacific: Hurricanes Karina and Lowell (both strong Category 4 storms) and Tropical Storm Marie.
- The Atlantic Ocean currently has no named storms after Tropical Storm Edouard weakened and moved inland.
- El Niño causes warmer Pacific waters, which lead to more storms forming there.
- El Niño also increases wind shear (strong winds high in the atmosphere) over the Atlantic, making it harder for hurricanes to form.
- Meteorologists expected more Pacific storms and fewer Atlantic ones because of this El Niño event.
- Historically, in a normal year, the Atlantic would already have two hurricanes and one major hurricane by early September.
- The Pacific's current hurricane activity, including multiple major hurricanes, is consistent with previous strong El Niño years.
- Forecasters warn that even though the Atlantic has been quiet so far, dangerous storms can still develop, especially since September is the peak hurricane month.
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