El Niño drives extreme weather threats in Hong Kong and San Diego

The Hong Kong Observatory warned that the developing El Niño could turn the four to seven tropical cyclones expected this year into super‑typhoons, with higher moisture and energy leading to more intense rain and wind. The city faces longer, heavier downpours that could disrupt outdoor life, strain already cramped housing and increase flood risk.

In Southern California, a very strong El Niño—sea‑surface temperatures 1.5 °C above normal—has prompted the City of San Diego to convene an El Niño working group. Officials are preparing for a range of outcomes, from severe winter floods and landslides to heightened fire danger and unusually large coastal waves. Aging storm‑water infrastructure and century‑old dams are being closely monitored by city departments, with Assistant Fire Chief Robert Rezende leading the effort.