Rare Train of Pacific Cyclones Fueled by Historic El Niño

A rare train of three Pacific cyclones is currently churning through the ocean, fueled by a historically strong El Niño climate episode. According to the National Hurricane Center, the group includes Category 4 storms Hurricane Lowell and Hurricane Karina, as well as Tropical Storm Marie, which is expected to become a hurricane. Both Lowell and Karina are anticipated to pass Hawaii from a distance, though uncertainty remains regarding whether Lowell could pass close to the westernmost islands. Hawaii is currently recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Lala, which brought destructive winds and severe flash floods to the Big Island last month.

Climate scientists state that El Niño warming creates favorable conditions for these storms by providing warm waters and reducing vertical wind shear. Julia Cole of the University of Michigan noted that seeing three cyclones in a train is definitely rare, citing a similar event in 2015 involving four cyclones. Benjamin Kirtman of the University of Miami added that sea surface temperature anomalies are near record highs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports a 69 percent chance that this year's El Niño will be the strongest on record, with impacts already felt in Peru and Sudan. Experts indicate that climate change increases these impacts by allowing the atmosphere to hold more moisture and deepening droughts.