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Climate scientists have put out a dire warning about this year’s El Niño; that it will likely be the worst in recorded history. And if previous ‘super’ El Niños are anything to go by, that means that this cycle will bring extreme weather - flooding, drought, wildfires, and hunger- across the world.

But how do scientists know what the effects of an El Niño will be? And how do they communicate that information to governments and the public in a way that causes calm preparedness instead of panic?

Tom Di Liberto is a former climate scientist for the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a science communicator, who specialises in monitoring El Niño phenomena. He joins us on today’s show.

Producers: Hannah Moore and Mhairi MacKenzie

Executive producer: Bridget Harney

Mix: Travis Evans

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: A man wades through water in northern Peru, in 2017, during that year’s El Niño. Credit: Ernesto Benavides/AFP.