Since the World Meteorological Organization declared the start of the current El Niño on July 4, 2023, itâs been almost a year straight of record-breaking temperatures. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, thereâs a 61 percent chance that this year could be even hotter than the last, spelling danger for areas prone to deadly heat waves during the summer months. An estimated 2,300 people in the US died due to heat-related illnesses in 2023, and researchers say the real number is probably higher.
All this heat has also settled into the oceans, creating more than a year of superhot surface temperatures and bleaching more than half of the planetâs coral reefs. It also provides potential fuel for hurricanes, which form as energy is sucked up vertically into the atmosphere. Normally, trade winds scatter heat and humidity across the waterâs…
