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Climate Experts Predict Record-Strong El Niño Will Drive Significant Coastal Flooding and Global Food Insecurity

Climate scientists and international agencies are warning of a record-strong El Niño event that is rapidly intensifying in the tropical Pacific. The European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts predicts a greater than 90% chance of above-normal precipitation for the California coast from December through February, with some regions potentially receiving 40% to 70% more rain than normal. This intense weather system is expected to influence global patterns, potentially pushing 50 million people into acute hunger by the end of next year, according to the World Food Programme. Experts such as Jeffrey Shaman of Columbia University and Daniel Swain highlight that while the strongest El Niño events are not guaranteed to produce simultaneous mega-floods worldwide, they offer a higher probability of typical weather impacts like droughts and heavy rains. In California, the event is expected to cause significant coastal flooding, beach erosion, and some of the highest sea levels recorded. The World Meteorological Organization and the UN have urged governments to prepare for these impacts, noting that the current El Niño is riding on top of long-term human-caused global warming, making 2026 and 2027 likely to be among the hottest years on record.

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