Environment News

El Niño in the Pacific

October 17 , 2026 15 hrs 0 min 28 0

The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the Pacific Ocean’s Niño 3.4 region reached a record sea surface temperature of 29.70°C in September 2026.
The temperature exceeded peaks recorded during the strong El Niño events of 1982–83, 1997–98 and 2015–16.
El Niño is a natural climate pattern that warms the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, altering global rainfall and weather patterns.
It can increase the risk of droughts, floods, extreme heat and crop losses.
Global average sea surface temperature reached a September record of 21.05°C, while September 2026 was the world’s second-hottest September on record.
Copernicus said the current El Niño is exceptionally strong but has not yet been confirmed as the strongest ever recorded.