Why a supercharged El Niño is putting Hawaii in the bullseye of more storms

‘An event of this magnitude is somewhat rare.’ Photograph: Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle/AP

With Hurricane Nolo, the islands of Hawaii are grappling with the third major tropical storm in recent months.

Hurricanes Lala in August and Lowell in early September flooded homes and roads, downed trees and toppled electricity lines across the islands. Nolo, which strengthened to a hurricane on Thursday night, is expected to batter the islands with rain and high surf.