This El Niño Will Be Unlike Any in the Past Eight Decades

875 points by Doug19 7 hours ago on reddit | 84 comments

postconsumerwat | 7 hours ago

Seems to be disaster everywhere this summer... I wonder what this next chapter brings.

sfcnmone | 6 hours ago

There’s an interesting book I’m reading called “I eat the stars”. What to do once we realize we can’t fix this.

NoGoat3930 | 4 hours ago

We could have fixed this though - just like we did the hole in the ozone layer. The billionaires have so much to answer for...

Secret_AgentOrange | 4 hours ago

Not just the billionaires, every politician that actively supported/allowed their wanton destruction of the planet for the sake of capital accumulation.

JayMo15 | 3 hours ago

Everyone does

Brave-Lead-1659 | 2 hours ago

While agree this was a avoidable at some point a number of decades ago, this isnt really a comparable situation. Refrigerants had drop in replacements that didnt require reconfiguring our whole mode of production. People could still make money off of the replacements with similar tooling etc. Its just a bad comparison.

Evening-Order5511 | 18 minutes ago

They are billionaires because we all bought the shit they were selling and most of a knew deep down it wasn't good for us.

iritchie001 | 3 hours ago

Climate variability is fascinating and terrifying. I live on the northern California coast line. The Redwood forrest(s) here were considered a temperate rainforest. I'm not sure if we still have enough fog to reach the same standards now. Our weather seems just as stable. Sadly our weather is nicer. Our average summer day is blue and 61 at 3 pm. If you live here that doesn't feel cold especially in sunlight. People moved away because it was winter, fall, spring, fall here. Now it is a pleasant place to retire. It shouldn't be. I feel bad every time I'm happy about how nice it is.

I love the redwoods I hope they’re doing ok. They’re one of the true treasures on earth. Is the decreased fog due to the warming ocean?

iritchie001 | 2 hours ago

I don't know. I should research it. I don't know about our ocean temps. I'm normally a data first person. I guess I give this place a pass since it is my hometown.

centralserb | 54 minutes ago

There will be a word, perhaps along the lines of “bittersweet”, for the feeling of enjoying pleasant weather while at the same time feeling bad from the knowledge that it’s only pleasant due to climate change. Sunny t shirt weather in November in London for example.

iritchie001 | 17 minutes ago

Perfect term. Some summers we have fires on three sides. Not close enough so far ever to harm us. It gets surreal. We have had the red suns. Duct taping HVAC filters to shop fans, DIY air purifier. Only using water to wash off the ash to lead to less car paint damage. We have had tsunami warnings when I've realized we on had one safe evacuation route due to fires.

We are in one of those disaster/apocalypse movies that starts with no one listening to the frantic scientists.

NotSoFastLady | 5 hours ago

I don't recall all the things they taught us in elementary. But so far what I recall is happening. Greater frequency of catastrophic events and more extremely unpredictable weather patterns.

ExpensiveFig6079 | 6 hours ago

poetic_demise | 30 minutes ago

Hopefully towards an increased and heightened willingness to act; and a departure from indifference

christhebrain | 7 hours ago

It's frustrating how the vast majority of the population can't internalize dramatically divergent events and consequences until they happen.

We are going to passively waddle into this like a deer in headlights....

"OMG, how could we have ever known?"

film_composer | 6 hours ago

Based on the response to Covid, a lot of people will also blame the people currently warning us about it, too, as if their warnings are proof that they're conspiring to make this all happen.

SkyFullofHat | 3 hours ago

I am really good at pattern recognition. There have been so many times that I’ve warned about an activity or person, laid out in detail several of the most likely scenarios, and been told I’m just being dramatic. Then, when it does happen, I got treated like I somehow manifested it out of spite. Now I gently voice my observations once, make no predictions, and only with people I know and are likely to be receptive. After that everyone is on their own.

Lesluse | 3 hours ago

Forever stay that way. I recently got let go at worknl for doing the same (even though it was my job and I had fixes for my finding). But yeah people are only getting worse with their attention span and meaner when you are right. But hey, our pattern recognition asses will be well prepared for whatever life sends us (and yes I was prepared for them letting me go, because the patterns were there, currently about to sue with my mountains of data).

RosesBrain | 55 minutes ago

Kill the messenger

IamNotMike25 | 6 hours ago

Next stage of denial is then

"..ok yeah but it's not because of human's"

all-akimbo | 6 hours ago

Active denial.

https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2026-08-26/west-point-professor-fired-lawsuit-climate-change-22666987.html

amalgaman | 6 hours ago

“It’s not even real. I saw a guy on TV with a snowball.”

Drunken_HR | 5 hours ago

And with the Atlantic cooling with melting ice from Greenland, that sort of bullshit is going to become even more common...

glowFernOasis | 6 hours ago

'And even if it is, there's nothing we can do' (the next step after that one)

Twisted_Cabbage | 4 hours ago

r/collapse has entered the chat

wearethedeadofnight | 3 hours ago

I had to leave that sub. It was terrible for my mental health

CAredditBoss | 3 hours ago

“Sure let’s keep burning fossil fuels. Nothing is bad”

Timebug | 5 hours ago

This is, unfortunately, Human Nature.

Most people will not change their habits or way of life even when they are told it will be the death of them. You see it every day with smoking and drinking.

It takes a life-threatening event to be able to change that behavior. With climate change they won't see that until it comes for them. We have plenty of movies mocking that behavior like Don't Look Up.

Change is going to have to be forced and people aren't going to like it.

Artstu16 | 5 hours ago

So well stated

Kaurifish | 6 hours ago

I grew up libertarian and perforce a climate change denier, it being understood ami g such folks that climate change was a hoax aimed at depriving them of their freedoms.

That changed as soon as I got out into the real world and got a look at the numbers and projections of likely scenarios.

Time after time when I tried to explain the danger (starting in ‘00) I was met by something worse than denial. It was the shug. “Ah, maybe it won’t be so bad. You can’t know exactly what disasters might hapoen. I’m just going to keep on keeping on.”

A quarter century later, I wonder if near killing myself fighting it was the thing to do.

Keyndoriel | 6 minutes ago

Thats how I feel. Im 30 now, and spent my early twenties being an avid climate person. I still am, but nothings changed. And now weve got these reports where it really just seems like the damage has done, and the fact that even if we stopped carbon emitting in every sector in every way, to the point of true zero emissions that it still wouldn't be enough to fix what's done at this point...

Hard not to feel hopeless. I've decided to just enjoy what I can of nature while I can. What's coming is going to be terrible and deadly and potentially humanity ending, but no one else seems to care, and you can only scream into an uncaring void for so long

Got a non paywall link?

Catfist | 5 hours ago

https://archive.ph/0yPfS

Thanks! Scary stuff…

tomarofthehillpeople | 4 hours ago

Don’t worry we can stock up on diarrhea vegetables and janky beef and hunker down.

ilovetpb | 5 hours ago

Hard paywall. Avoid it.

Catfist | 5 hours ago

https://archive.ph/0yPfS

CowboysFanInDecember | 2 hours ago

Doing God's work. Ty!

bigtome2120 | 4 hours ago

As someone with an unborn son, Imm fairly convinced by the time he’s grown the world will be in utter chaos due to this stuff

peak0ils | 3 hours ago

If it's not to late abortion stat.

Underance | 2 hours ago

What a vile thing to say

peak0ils | 2 hours ago

What!?, arguably letting a kid be born into this shit future is a vile thing.

But also suggesting someone get an abortion randomly is objectively funny, You kids are weak.

Underance | an hour ago

It's completely tactless and "objectively" rude. If you want to make a joke than come up with something funny, kid.

bigtome2120 | an hour ago

Can I kill you instead?

-joke just like yours

peak0ils | an hour ago

Well if yiu decide to keep him good luck!   My daughter is about to have a boy its both exciting and a bit grim with the future they face.

I am pro euthanasia - I think the joke would work better if you tell me to euthenise myself to avoid the coming horrors if im so worried.

Good luck especially if its your first kid.

FennelAlternative861 | an hour ago

Not too late for a very late term self abortion for yourself

Rex_Mundi | 4 hours ago

El Teenager

RosesBrain | 49 minutes ago

El Adolescente

DoubleFamous5751 | 5 hours ago

Honestly I believe it. The rains we’ve had in NYC the past few weeks have been absolutely bonkers. Something odd is cooking.

Kahnza | 7 hours ago

I just wanna know what my winter is gonna be like. Warmer and less/no snow would be nice.

edit: jfc with the downvotes, I live in Minnesota. Fuck me for not wanting -40 and 6 foot snow drifts by Thanksgiving.

HomemadeLightbulb | 6 hours ago

I think it basically makes all seasons exaggerated versions of themselves

TheBlackRider2828 | 4 hours ago

No it just gets warmer everywhere

CompuuterJuice | 4 hours ago

Not true.

Radiant-Archer-2892 | 4 hours ago

This El Niño is so anomalous that we don't know forsure

TheBlackRider2828 | 4 hours ago

I'm interested tell me more, please

disneyDaf | 2 hours ago

It just depends on where you are. I’m in North Texas, for my region, we can look back at other strong El Niños and reasonably forecast what we have to deal with… a cool and wetter than average winter. That may or may not translate to a snowier/icier winter than normal. For that, it depends on if those numerous pacific storms that (should) train across Texas due to the shifted jet stream interact with an arctic cold front.

AdNo2342 | 6 hours ago

the edit lmao

Sense-Free | 6 hours ago

My guess is the top half of the USA will be warmer than usual from December to March and the bottom half will be colder than usual.

Nobody really knows this far out but the best guesses revolve around what’s happening in the Pacific. Remember the news last week about the big storms in Hawaii. Apparently that will create a low pressure zone that drifts east across America.

I’m not exactly sure on the science because I’m just an average Joe. But I think that means the mass of cold air from the north will be sucked into the lower half of the US where the low pressure is. What gets interesting is the line where high-low meet in the middle. There may be bigger tornadoes than usual. I don’t know about the rain/snow situation though

calm-lab66 | 5 hours ago

I think the whole of the contiguous states is going to be warmer. The other thing I've noticed is the Western half seems to be a lot drier, and the Midwest, and Eastern half seems to be getting more precipitation.

ImGoodAtGeography | 6 hours ago

As an NC resident all I want is a colder winter and more snow

DiscordiaHel | 3 hours ago

The persimmon seeds keep showing spoons so you'll likely get your wish

Kahnza | 6 hours ago

If your winter temps stay above 45F, wanna switch?

ImGoodAtGeography | 6 hours ago

Yes 😆

Kahnza | 6 hours ago

Now by NC I'm assuming you mean North Cackalackey? Some nice places to visit AFAIK. Bike stuff too!

EarthtoGeoff | 4 hours ago

Also an NC resident — we were plenty cold (more so than normal) this past winter, especially in January/February. Just needed the precipitation.

climber_cass | 6 hours ago

I wanna know too. I'm in Arizona and right now it's forecasted as mild and wet which would be much nicer than the 100+ degree heatwave we had in February and March this year. Only scary part could be flooding.

Food_Library333 | 6 hours ago

I'm in Vermont and I understand you there. We got plenty of snow last year, a bit less this year would be nice.

Kahnza | 6 hours ago

Yeah I like to ride my bike as late into the year as I can. Warmer temps and less snow, especially ice, would be super helpful to me.

I'd like to move somewhere warmer in the winter, I just don't know how/I can't afford to.

hoodratchic | 5 hours ago

Extremes for all seasons including winter

BichonUnited | 4 hours ago

I still can’t figure out if it means more rain or more snow

QuillDidNothingWrong | 2 hours ago

What could be causing such an escalation? The world may never know.

Born_Procedure_529 | 6 hours ago

Already stormier than I've ever seen it here on the Gulf tbh, used to be hour long storms, lately its day-long storms

jazz_matazz | 3 hours ago

Summer vacations will be taken in the winter time now.

Morbidly-Obese-Emu | 5 hours ago

So it’ll be milder right? Right?

idc2011 | an hour ago

What global warming???

iJuddles | 5 hours ago

It’s not helpful that they say “Right now, it’s hot in the box” and then block the rest of the article. It sounds pretty good to me, but def nsfw.

morganational | 6 hours ago

Great. Thanks for the 18th reminder today.

thekazooyoublew | 6 hours ago

Reddit often reminds me of a zoetrope... Scroll quickly through the same repetitive doom , gloom, meme, ad, repost... Faster and faster until you see the moving image... And it's just a steaming turd being laid by some wojak looking creature.

Motor-Cranberry-1092 | 6 hours ago

True. 2pac isn't here

Dr-Crayfish | 6 hours ago

This is the boy who cried wolf. Every day there is a catastrophe waiting to happen, but it never seems to

flyingbeermechanic | 6 hours ago

Is the water getting hotter Dr Crayfish? Seems a little warmer than it did the other day. Nice n cozy in your wee pot though innit.