Here’s what can happen when the surface of the equatorial Pacific gets just a little warmer: Thousands of people die as the weather changes from India to Florida. Some economies lose billions of dollars; others enjoy respite from weather-related losses. Prices of commodities such as coffee and cocoa jolt skyward. Then when the waters cool, patterns shift, with areas previously spared often experiencing calamitous hurricanes, floods or drought, and others getting a break from such buffeting forces. The whole cycle is known as El Nino-Southern Oscillation. It is made up of El Nino, the Pacific’s warm phase; La Nina, the cold side; and a neutral phase in between. Forecasters expect the whole thing to kick off again in coming months, peaking some time around December or January.
An El Nino usually means heavy rain along the Pacific coast of the Americas, from California to Chile and…
