1982
The most powerful El Niño of the century (until 1997) strikes without
warning. Strongly teleconnected to California rainfall, it generates wave
after wave of punishing storms which soak the west coast, wash away
beaches, create floods and mudslides, while creating mild wet conditions in
the midwest and north. Worldwide, El Niño storms do fifteen billion
dollars of damage, and cost 2000 people their lives.