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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Environment
Oliver Milman

El Niño climate patterns supercharged by burning of fossil fuels, study finds

Raindrops cover a window, blurring the San Francisco skyline and a palm tree beyond
Heavy rain in San Francisco, California, on 12 April 2026. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

A series of strong El Niño climatic patterns in recent decades, such as the “Godzilla” event currently brewing that is set to warp weather around the world, have been supercharged by the broader overheating of the planet caused by the burning of fossil fuels, a major new study has found.

El Niño is a naturally occurring phenomenon, taking place every two to seven years, when the waters of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean heat up, causing a cascade of impacts around the world. The latest developing El Niño, set to peak later this year, is set to be the strongest in living memory and has been informally dubbed a “Godzilla” event.

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