What effect is El Niño having on tornadoes?
I’ve discussed the supposed effects of El Niño on the weather, in general, on my Pet Peeves page (item # B.12). Although El Niño (and its counterpart, La Niña) certainly can influence the general circulation pattern around the world, and that pattern (in turn) alters the probabilities of certain events, it’s absurd to say that a particular tornado was “caused” or “spawned” or “driven” by El Niño. In spite of the fact that it appears that El Niño can make some events more (or less) likely, this does not imply that a particular event (e.g., a tornado) is directly attributable to El Niño.
