A tropical storm is forming off the coast of Baja California, a system that national forecasters say has a virtually nonexistent chance of intensifying into a hurricane. The National Hurricane Center is predicting a 90% chance of a tropical storm forming in the Baja California area within the next 48 hours and within the next seven days. The storm brewing off the Baja coast is fueled in part by the very strong El Niño, a natural climate pattern that is gaining momentum and warming sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Temperatures off the coast of San Diego are about 8 degrees above the average for this time of year, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the warming of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is one consequence of human-caused climate change.

Other El Niño news:

• San Francisco Chronicle: Could California really get hit by a hurricane this weekend?
• San Diego Union-Tribune: Forecasters evaluating whether El Niño-enhanced storm will hit San Diego over Labor Day weekend
• Imperial Valley Press (El Centro, Calif.): Brawley prepares for potential El Niño impacts as strong winter storm pattern looms
• The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, Calif.): Will a hurricane impact Southern California? Forecast unclear
• Las Vegas Review-Journal: A ‘Super El Niño’ is coming. What could it mean for Las Vegas this winter?