Twisting tornadoes leveled small towns in Florida. Floods washed out roads and homes in Peru. Severe droughts in Indonesia caused roaring forest fires, leaving animals starving. Is it possible that all these deadly disasters were caused by the same weather event? Yes, and its name is El Niño. This weather pattern causes a pool of warm water to form in the Pacific Ocean, which impacts climate conditions around the world. El Niño also has a dangerous little sister, La Niña. Author Carmen Bredeson explores the causes and effects of El Niño and La Niña, and looks at stories from survivors and rescue workers that have seen their wrath.
