Extreme El Niño drives record flooding across Southwest
Over 20 trillion gallons of rain fell on four states and Nevada in two weeks as ocean temperatures reach historic highs.
By Peter Graham ·
More than 20 trillion gallons of water have fallen on the Four Corners states and Nevada in the past two weeks. The volume of precipitation is the result of an unusually strong El Niño event. Meteorologists say this warming cycle is pushing moisture into the air and shifting wind patterns toward the American Southwest.
The increased moisture and altered winds create ideal conditions for severe storms. Flash floods struck northern New Mexico and central Arizona on Sunday, forcing residents to evacuate. A ski town in Colorado prepared for its main river to rise to dangerous levels. These events followed a wet storm system earlier in the week that caused days of flooding across the region.
Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections described the current conditions as a super duper El Niño. He noted that while extreme versions of this cycle have occurred before, the current iteration is particularly intense. The phenomenon is not the only cause of the storms, but it is making heavy rains more likely and more powerful across the Southern United States.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the likelihood of large precipitation in the Southwest interior increases at this time of year. However, he stated that the degree of rainfall currently being observed is unprecedented. Swain also reported that record breaking flooding is affecting regions in Peru and Ecuador due to the same global weather pattern shifts.
Human caused climate change has already raised baseline ocean temperatures. Randy Cerveny of Arizona State University explained that these warmer starting conditions make El Niño events even more intense. The extra heat from the cycle adds to the existing warmth, fueling stronger weather systems.
Experts expect the El Niño to peak in December. Cerveny said the heating in the Pacific Ocean has not yet reached its maximum point. He predicted that residents in the Southwest will continue to see these specific types of storm events for several months after the peak occurs.
Authorities recommended that residents watch forecasts closely and plan ahead. They advised heeding evacuation warnings from local officials to ensure safety during the ongoing weather pattern.
