Des moines: Severe storms and suspected tornadoes have ravaged the US Midwest, resulting in at least one fatality along with substantial damage and power outages. Meteorologists are raising concerns that an intensifying El Nino climate pattern could exacerbate weather extremes in the upcoming months.
According to Anadolu Agency, a 54-year-old man tragically lost his life in Des Moines, Iowa, when a tree collapsed on him during violent storms at a homeless encampment. By Thursday evening, tornadoes had been documented in around 11 communities across Illinois and Wisconsin, leaving over 243,000 Illinois residents without electricity.
The National Weather Service has elevated the Chicago area to a Level 4 out of 5 severe weather risk, signaling the likelihood of widespread severe storms. Confirmed tornadoes and significant damage have been reported in various locales southwest of Chicago, affecting homes, businesses, airports, and animal shelters in parts of Illinois, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
As storms progressed eastward, driven by the collision of cool Canadian air and warm, humid air from the South, more than 1,000 flights faced delays or cancellations at Chicago-area airports. This severe weather coincides with the National Weather Service's official announcement of El Nino, a climate pattern associated with warmer Pacific Ocean temperatures and major shifts in global weather systems.
Forecasters predict a 63% probability that this El Nino event could rank among the most potent on record between November and January. This climatic phenomenon is expected to bring warmer, drier conditions to the Pacific Northwest while heightening the risk of heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of the southern US.
Scientists caution that rising ocean temperatures linked to El Nino could lead to marine heat waves, disrupt marine ecosystems, and trigger atypical wildlife activity along the US West Coast. Although El Nino can intensify global temperatures, experts emphasize that climate change remains the primary cause of recent record-breaking global warmth.