Yes, there is a positive statistical relationship between El Nino activity and eastern North Pacific (and central North Pacific) tropical cyclone activity. Right now, the El Nino in progress is featuring sea temperatures that are far above normal in the far eastern part of the tropical Pacific (the so-called Nino1+2 and eastern part of the Nino 3 regions). And this month, sea temperatures are also far above average off the coast of Baja California. Although I cannot prove it, I strongly suspect that this very warm water off Baja played a role in the recent tropical cyclone activity in the eastern Pacific, and Dolores. Of course it is VERY unusual for a tropical storm to "hit" anywhere in the vicinity of southern California, where sea temperatures are usually far too cold to support such storms from coming so close to the region. The extent to which the El Nino played a role in the warm sea temepratures off Baja is unclear. Sometimes an El Nino during a given winter (we had a borderline one during winter 2014-15) leads to warm waters farther to the north, such as off the California coast. A switch to a positive Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is another possible reason for the warm water off Baja and southern California, but it is not clear the PDO has actually switched to its positive phase at this time. So, in conclusion, Dolores was very likely associated with the warm water off Baja. But just why that water is warm, is less certain. The current El Nino may be playing some role, last winter's borderline El Nino may have also played some role (with a time delay), and the PDO may be playing some role.