El Niño Could Trigger 'Mini-Dust Bowl' Just as Data Centers Boom
Summary
Meteorologists warn that the El Niño weather pattern could cause longer and worse droughts in the U.S., especially in the Plains region. This comes at a time when water use is rising due to more data centers being built, which use large amounts of water.Key Facts
- El Niño is a natural climate cycle that affects ocean and weather patterns every two to seven years.
- It usually brings warmer weather to northern U.S. winters, wetter conditions in the south, and drier weather in the Midwest.
- Current drought conditions affect nearly half of the U.S., including Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.
- Data centers use millions of gallons of water daily and are growing rapidly in number across the country.
- There is a 70% chance this El Niño will become a “Super El Niño,” which can cause long-lasting drought.
- Past strong El Niños have triggered multi-year droughts in parts of the U.S. Plains.
- El Niño conditions are expected to peak in the winter of 2026–27.
- The current dryness across the U.S. is worse than in almost 95% of historical records.
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