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A “Godzilla El Niño” next year could be a glimpse into the future

Scientists have started calling it the “Godzilla El Niño.” | Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images Scientists have started calling it the “Godzilla El Niño.” The nickname comes from actual climate researchers, which should tell you something; they are not generally in the habit of comparing climatic systems to mega-monsters. What’s building in the eastern Pacific right now is a surge of ocean warming that is likely to make 2027 the hottest year in recorded history, possibly by a lot. The median projection puts next year at about 1.7 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial average. The high...