The “Godzilla El Niño” is coming

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Vox Media Podcast Network

News Commentary, Philosophy, Politics, Society & Culture, News

4.5 • 11.1K Ratings

🗓️ 10 July 2026

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Sean talks with journalist David Wallace-Wells about a looming climate event that could make 2027 one of the hottest years ever recorded. They discuss the return of El Niño, why some scientists are calling it a “Godzilla El Niño,” and what it could reveal about the future of global warming. They also explore climate adaptation, political complacency, extreme weather, technological progress, and whether humanity is prepared for the world it’s creating. Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling) Guest: David Wallace-Wells (@dwallacewells) We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. New episodes drop every Monday and Friday. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	We've all been there.
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1:04.2	This is a gray area. I'm Sean Elling. My guest today is David Wallace Wells. He's a writer and a
1:10.1	recorder for the New York Times. And for my money, one of the sharpest voices on the climate beat.
1:16.5	David recently wrote a piece about a massive El Nino building in the Pacific, one that could make 2027, the hottest year on record by far, and maybe also give us a glimpse of everyday
	...

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