How not to embarrass yourself talking about El Niño

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, September 22 and you can expect perfect sunny weather, with highs around 80.

I have a confession: During the pandemic, I was one of those people who turned into an amateur epidemiologist. I liked to toss around terms like “incubation period” and “R0” 

And now, as the super El Niño bears down and Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday declared a state of emergency for the entire state, I am well on my way to acquiring my new amateur subspeciality: armchair climate scientist. Or as my husband mockingly referred to me: El Niño-it-all. 

But I also know that I am not alone. And so in an effort to sound as knowledgeable as I can and help others get there too, for a piece today, I asked three southern California climate scientists how to converse adroitly about El Niño, storm tracks, and even Kelvin waves. I came away with full confidence in my grasp of the jet stream, but I’m afraid I’ll have to politely excuse myself if anyone tries to talk about the thermocline.

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