Amazon Drought Alert: ‘Godzilla’ El Niño Could Hit at the Worst Time

The Amazon rainforest is bracing for a severe drought, and scientists warn the timing could not be worse. The peak of this year’s El Niño—a climate pattern that warms the Pacific Ocean and disrupts weather worldwide—is expected between October and December. That is exactly when the rainforest’s dry season ends, when rivers are lowest and plants are most likely to be tinder dry. El Niño is a natural phenomenon, but human-driven heating has already weakened the forest. A delayed rainy season in this damaged ecosystem could trigger what some researchers call a “Godzilla” El Niño—an unusually powerful version of the event. The Amazon is not just a remote jungle. It plays a globally important role in stabilizing the climate and in irrigating crops far beyond its borders. A severe drought there could disrupt food production and accelerate climate change, affecting people everywhere. While Europe battles wildfires and Asia faces floods, the Amazon’s coming dry spell should worry us all. Scientists are closely watching the forest’s vulnerability, but the window for action is narrow.