From AP:
A chaotic climate phenomenon is intensifying heavy rains and floods in the Southwest, experts say. A natural warming cycle called El Niño is sizzling Pacific Ocean waters, leaking moisture into the air that can fuel passing storms. Such El Niño events can happen irregularly every couple of years, but scientists say the latest iteration is particularly extreme — and it’s just getting started, with impacts expected for several more months.
“We’ve had super El Niños in the past, but this is a super duper El Niño,” said meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections. The phenomenon wasn’t the only cause of the severe storms and it’s difficult to attribute any single event to it. Still, scientists say this supercharged El Niño is making heavy rains more likely and intense across the Southern U.S.