Scientists say this El Niño was already the strongest on record before its peak

New Scientist reports that this El Niño was already record-strong before its expected peak, driven mainly by a huge western Pacific warm pool left by a multiyear La Niña and by strong eastward wind bursts that shoved that heat toward South America. Researchers quoted in the piece say it is still unclear whether warming makes El Niños stronger, but it clearly makes their impacts worse.