Phenomenon: El Niño and 3 severe Pacific storms

The satellite image from Nasa shows Hurricane Kilo west of Hawaii. Kilo is one of three severe storms that occurred at the same time over the Pacific. NASA WEBSITE SCREENGRAB

Weather trackers are monitoring three severe storms over the Pacific, all at Category 4 at one point, owing to the potency of the El Niño.

None of the cyclones — Kilo, Jimena and Ignacio — pose any threat to the Philippines, according to Aldczar Aurelio of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Kilo in the western Pacific could survive for another week, if not longer, the Weather Channel reported.

Ignacio, meanwhile, is located over the north of Hawaii and poses no threat to the islands. It is already weakening and has been downgraded to a tropical storm.

Jimena has weakened into a Category 2 and was 750 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii.

National Geographic reported that this is the first time that the northeastern Pacific is seeing three hurricanes all at once.

This is attributed to the El Niño, an occurrence which happens every five to seven years. It is an unusual warming of sea surface temperature across the equatorial Pacific Ocean and results in extreme weather. It brings rain to the US and droughts to Asia and Australia.

In the Philippines, Pagasa said it would be slightly warmer until December due to the El Niño. This phenomenon is characterized by a prolonged dry spell and occasional violent storms.

Pagasa warned of severe dry conditions from October to early next year. Frances Mangosing / CB