Hurricane Polo recently intensified to a rare Category 5 before weakening to a strong Category 4 off the Pacific coast of Mexico. This rapid intensification was influenced by El Niño, which is causing unusually warm ocean temperatures and altering global weather patterns. According to the Climate Impact Lab at the University of Chicago, El Niño could lead to nearly half a million heat-related deaths by February due to extreme heat.
Peter Huybers from Harvard’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences emphasizes that while precise predictions are challenging, El Niño increases the likelihood of unusual weather events, including floods in some areas and droughts in others. Correspondent Marybel Gonzalez has more on this, along with guidance on how to prepare for potential impacts.
