Scientists at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) are monitoring the Pacific Ocean for signs of a "Godzilla El Niño," an intensified climate phenomenon capable of causing global environmental disruption. While the standard El Niño pattern already signals rising ocean temperatures, researchers warn that this extreme variation could significantly heighten weather volatility.
Luisa Machain Castillo, a researcher at UNAM’s Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology, noted that the term gained prominence during the 2015-2016 event. NASA data from that period recorded surface temperature spikes of 2.5 to 3 degrees Celsius across the central and eastern Pacific.
The path of destruction
The Godzilla classification reflects the phenomenon's capacity to simultaneously trigger disparate disasters across the globe. Historically, the event correlates with intense rainfall in some regions, severe droughts in others, and an increase in forest fires and agricultural losses.
Marine biodiversity also suffers under these conditions. The Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology reports that the extreme heat leads to mass coral bleaching and the mass displacement of marine species. It further expands "dead zones" where oxygen levels drop so low that aquatic life cannot survive.
While experts have not confirmed that the current El Niño will evolve into the Godzilla-scale event by 2026, they remain on high alert. If the more intense version develops, Mexico faces a heightened risk of powerful hurricanes hitting the Pacific coast, particularly in Oaxaca, Guerrero, Jalisco, and Baja California Sur.
Beyond storm activity, the pattern could lead to extreme flooding and landslides in certain areas. Conversely, other parts of the country may face prolonged droughts and abnormal heatwaves. Marine ecosystems in Mexico would likely see similar shifts to those documented in 2015, when unusual species migrated into the waters near Mazatlán.
