Studying this super El Niño could save lives. NOAA is scaling back research

During the last strong El Niño in 2015, South Carolina experienced catastrophic flooding, driven by record-breaking rain. Forecasters say the super El Niño now developing is likely to be even stronger.

A powerful El Niño is already influencing extreme weather around the planet. During the last strong El Niño, federal agencies ramped up research in the hope of improving weather forecasts. This year, they won’t be matching that effort.

(Image credit: Sean Rayford)