AllMovie

This documentary, part of the 20th Century With Mike Wallace series from CBS News and the History Channel, examines the natural weather phenomenon of El Niño. Narrated by series host and CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace, this episode traces the history of El Niño, which is not only a 20th century occurrence, but an event that has been reoccurring throughout time. The earliest documented case of El Niño happened in the 16th century when Peru was plagued with disastrous floods. In 1998, seven states recorded the wettest winter on record, whereas 11 states documented the warmest winter of their histories. 20th Century With Mike Wallace features scientists and meteorologists, including Vernon Kousky from the National Weather Service, talking about the causes of this weather pattern and what can be done to predict and to prepare for the next time El Niño returns.