A closer look at “El Niño Then and Now: How 2024 Compares to the Historic 1997–98 and 2015–16 Events”, exactly as the source publishes it. El Niño is a natural climate pattern that occurs every two to seven years, marked by warmer-than-normal waters in the equatorial Pacific. The most recent very strong events, in 1997–98 and 2015–16, caused global disruptions: fires in Indonesia and the Amazon, drought-driven crop failures in southern Africa, and heavy rainfall with coastal flooding in Southern California. The current El Niño rivals those past heavyweights, raising concerns about similar impacts.
Scientists are watching closely because even small differences in ocean temperatures can shift weather patterns. The comparison matters for farmers, insurers, and emergency planners who rely on forecasts to prepare. While no two El Niños are identical, the parallels suggest heightened risks in vulnerable regions. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.