"Forecasters now predict that the coming El Niño—a warming of the Pacific Ocean that deeply affects global weather patterns—is likely to be as severe as the one in 2023-2024, which triggered severe flooding and prolonged heatwaves around the world."
"Average world temperatures are now actually higher than they were at the height of that previous El Niño, thanks to global warming, and so it's likely that we will face even more intense heatwaves and flooding this time around."
"Since early last year, the Trump administration has laid off thousands of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers, greatly diminishing the agency's ability to respond to such impending weather disasters."
"The dismal fact that Trump has overseen the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, which once sent humanitarian aid to disaster-struck countries, adds to the challenges ahead."
Forecasters predict an 80% chance of a severe El Niño this summer, which could lead to intense heatwaves and flooding. Current global temperatures are higher than during the last significant El Niño, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events. The Trump administration's layoffs at FEMA have weakened disaster response capabilities, while the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development has reduced humanitarian aid efforts. These factors compound the risks associated with the upcoming El Niño event.
Read at The Nation
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