Surf, Flood, Fire & Mud: How the strongest El Niño ever led to years of extremes, and what this means going forward.

Forecast Meteorologist Nathan Cool tells the story of how record-breaking ocean waves, weather and winds — starting in 2015 from the strongest El Niño ever recorded — carved a path of destruction, which persisted over the next few years. Once colossal waves crashed the shores of Hawaii and the west coast of the U.S., floods soon followed, setting the stage for California's worst fire season and devastating mudslides. Far from being a one-off occurrence, a years-long ripple effect had devastatingly fatal consequences. But the reasons why may surprise you. Nathan weaves science into thrilling yet often tragic stories of how storms and cycles that brought the biggest waves ever surfed also caused destruction that wiped out homes, blocked roadways, burned livestock, and buried people alive. All the while, it wasn't just nature that went awry; numerous mistakes were made by officials overseeing the safety of their communities, exacerbating tragedies that unfolded. Recounting storms play-by-play from their origins to their final, and often fatal destinations, Nathan tells the true stories of not just what happened from El Niño and its years-long aftermath, but also why so many were affected. Nathan's latest book shows how this trend has happened before, and how it will happen again, from the sometimes deceiving yet destructive nature of Surf, Flood, Fire & Mud.