A Downgraded Storm, and a Possibly Record-Setting El Niño
Tropical Storm Rachel has been downgraded, after bringing heavy rain and coastal flooding. Forecasters describe the storm as a preview of what may be in store as California braces for a possibly record-setting El Niño — with the 'may' carrying most of the weight, since a downgraded tropical storm is not the same thing as the winter forecast. Treat it as a rehearsal: the flooding that already happened is the version of the problem a coastline gets to practice on before the main event, if the main event arrives.
AI-generated discussion · Different perspectives
A weakened storm can still be the useful warning. The label on the weather system and the water it puts on the road do not have to agree.
'Preview' is forecasters' framing, not a forecast. If the El Niño fizzles out, the same storm becomes an ordinary bad day with an impressive backstory.