California is set to experience one of its sharkiest summers in a decade, as large numbers of juvenile great whites migrate from warm Mexican waters to cooler areas along the western United States.
The marine predator has become more common along the west coast in recent years.
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Surfers report seeing underwater behemoths closer to shore, and scientists say swimmers and ocean-lovers are likely already sharing their favorite beaches with great whites, whether they know it or not.
"We're already seeing a high number of white sharks," said Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University Long Beach.
"We started seeing baby white sharks in February, which we've never seen before. Usually that happens in April."
El Niño Drives Shark Migration
One major reason for the influx is El Niño.
Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed the formation of the climate phenomenon in the Pacific in early June.
El Niño can cause worldwide impacts, including heatwaves, drought, heavy rainfall, and extreme weather. Science agencies have said this year's could be incredibly strong.
For fish and ocean life, including sharks, warmer oceans can cause mass migrations. Cold-water species move from their usual ranges further north or into deeper waters.
"Every El Niño is not the same; each one is unique with its own imprint on our weather," said Ken Graham, director of NOAA's National Weather Service.
Lowe noted that the last time conditions matched those forming in the Pacific, it was a sharky time for California.
