Could this be the strongest El Niño in 1,000 Years?
Summary
Tim Harford interviews climate scientist Dr. Zeke Hausfather about the potentially record-breaking 2026 El Niño event. They discuss how current Pacific temperatures are already unprecedented, with models predicting a peak that could shatter historical records by nearly a degree. The episode explores the severe global impacts, including crop failures and temperature spikes, and examines coral proxy data suggesting this event may be the strongest in a millennium.
Topics discussed
Introduction to El Niño and its record-breaking projections
Introduction of Dr. Zeke Hausfather
Definition and frequency of El Niño events
How El Niño strength is measured using temperature data
Classification of El Niño intensity and historical records
Current status and model predictions for 2026
Projected peak temperatures and unprecedented nature
Environmental and global temperature impacts
Using coral proxies to study historical El Niño
Historical comparisons and role of climate change
Conclusion and contact information
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