An unusually strong El Niño has fueled an active Pacific storm season even as the Atlantic has yet to record a single full-blown hurricane.
A rare combination of atmospheric and oceanic conditions fueled one of the strongest storms on record in the eastern Pacific basin, NASA says.
A BBC report examines how El Niño conditions may have contributed to the rapid intensification of Hurricane Polo in the Pacific.
Hurricane Polo, described as one of the strongest Pacific cyclones in decades, has brought dangerous waves and heavy rain to Mexico's coast.
Mexican authorities are on alert after the storm jumped from Category 1 to the maximum category in under 24 hours, though it is not expected to make landfall.
Hurricane Polo has weakened but remains a powerful storm in the Pacific Ocean, fueled by warm waters linked to El Nino.
Scientists say the Pacific Ocean warming pattern could rank among the most powerful ever recorded, with implications for rainfall, drought and heat worldwide.
The US military reported intercepting and sinking a floating refueling station in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which it said was connected to a criminal organization based in Ecuador.
NASA's Earth Observatory reported three tropical cyclones churning in the Pacific Ocean at the same time, even as the Atlantic basin remained quiet.