3 Pacific Cyclones, A Hurricane off Africa: What's Going On? - NatGeo

[WillyT]

3 Pacific Cyclones, A Hurricane off Africa: What's Going On?
The weather seems to be going haywire, with three simultaneous category 4 cyclones in the Pacific and what could be the easternmost hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic.
By Jane J. Lee, National Geographic
PUBLISHED September 01, 2015


Hurricanes Kilo, Ignacio, and Jimena continue to charge across the Pacific Ocean this week. None are expected to make landfall.
Photograph by NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response, Jeff Schmaltz

<snip>

Three cyclones—Kilo, Ignacio, and Jimena—are currently tearing it up in the central Pacific. On Sunday, all of them were a category 4. This is the first time the northeastern Pacific has seen three such hurricanes simultaneously.

A fourth storm, tropical depression fourteen-e, is currently churning away southwest of the Baja California peninsula. Forecasters expect it to strengthen to a tropical storm soon. They plan to name it Kevin at that point.

So why has the weather in the Pacific seemingly gone nuts? Two words: El Niño.

This atmospheric phenomenon occurs every five to seven years and brings soaking rains to the western U.S., droughts to Asia and Australia, and dampens the Atlantic hurricane season.

It also supercharges the central and eastern Pacific ocean with above average water temperatures. Cyclones feed on warm water, so the Pacific's hurricane season has been especially active this year.

In fact, it's the second most active season for the central Pacific on record. The record-holder was 1994 during another strong El Niño.

<snip>

More: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150901-multiple-hurricanes-cyclones-pacific-fred-atmosphere-oceans-science/

[underthematrix]

1. Climate change

[WillyT]

2. Yep...

[HuckleB]

3. Please don't jump on the weather as climate routine.

We bash Fox News, and legitimately so, when they do it.

This may be related to climate change, but the full picture still needs to be studied.

Please don't act like the science denialists. The plural of anecdote is not data. Period.

[WillyT]

4. Look... I Post Stuff That I Find Interesting... And That I Think Other DUers Would Find Interesting

I did not write it, NatGeo did.

That said...

It did remind me a bit of the movie 'The Day After Tomorrow'

[HuckleB]

6. Uh, ok.

And... what does a bad movie have to do with anything?

[WillyT]

7. And I'm Sure Your Grandchildren Will Think Of You Affectionately...

Have a nice life.

[HuckleB]

8. Nice hole you're digging there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Sorry, must be what I ate for lunch

(by the way they are linking directly to El Nino, and this winter should be quite epic)