The planet may experience a strong or even a super El Niño later this year,
-- one that could rival the strongest ones in history,
according to new climate data recently released by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).
A typical El Niño affects regional-to-global weather patterns,
as a warming patch of water in the equatorial Pacific Ocean influences what regions could experience droughts, floods and extreme heat.
During these relativ…