elniohno
ENSO PHASE El Niño conditions, very strong El Niño, very strong
El Niño–Southern Oscillation

The Pacific climate cycle that shifts global rainfall and temperature. NOAA declares an episode after 5 consecutive overlapping seasons beyond ±0.5°C.

4 consecutive seasons past threshold

 ONI · JAS 2026 +2.2↗ ONI, last 24 seasons
Oceanic Niño Index

3-month running mean of sea-surface temperature anomaly in the Niño 3.4 region (°C). ≥ +0.5 is El Niño territory; ≤ −0.5 is La Niña.

+0.36 vs previous season
NOAA UPDATED 10 Oct 2026
NOAA Oceanic Niño Index · 1950–2026

Every El Niño since 1950, on one line.

The ONI is the 3-month running mean of sea-surface temperature anomaly in the central Pacific (Niño 3.4). Shaded areas are seasons beyond ±0.5°C. NOAA declares an episode after five consecutive overlapping seasons past the threshold.

Right now · JAS 2026
+2.16°C
El Niño conditions, very strong
Trend
+0.36 vs previous season
Run
4 consecutive seasons past ±0.5
Ranking
Would rank #3 of 23 El Niño peaks since 1950
Strength
very strong
-2-10+1+2195019601970198019902000201020201955–561957–581965–661972–731973–741974–761982–831988–891991–921997–981998–002007–082009–102010–112014–162023–24

El Niño episodes, by peak

  1. 2014–16 +2.6 very strong
  2. 1997–98 +2.4 very strong
  3. 1982–83 +2.1 very strong
  4. 2023–24 +2.0 strong
  5. 1972–73 +1.8 strong
  6. 1965–66 +1.8 strong
  7. 1957–58 +1.7 strong
  8. 1991–92 +1.5 strong
  9. 2009–10 +1.5 strong
  10. 1986–88 +1.5 moderate
  11. 1963–64 +1.2 moderate
  12. 2002–03 +1.2 moderate
  13. 2018–19 +1.1 moderate
  14. 1951–52 +1.0 moderate
  15. 1968–69 +1.0 weak
  16. 1994–95 +1.0 weak
  17. 2006–07 +0.9 weak
  18. 1976–77 +0.8 weak
  19. 1977–78 +0.8 weak
  20. 1953 +0.8 weak
  21. 2019–20 +0.8 weak
  22. 2004–05 +0.7 weak

La Niña episodes, by peak

  1. 1973–74 -2.0 very strong
  2. 1988–89 -1.9 strong
  3. 2007–08 -1.8 strong
  4. 1955–56 -1.6 strong
  5. 1974–76 -1.6 strong
  6. 2010–11 -1.6 strong
  7. 1998–00 -1.5 strong
  8. 1970–72 -1.4 moderate
  9. 1950–51 -1.3 moderate
  10. 2020–21 -1.1 moderate
  11. 1984–85 -1.1 moderate
  12. 1995–96 -1.1 moderate
  13. 2011–12 -1.0 moderate
  14. 1983–84 -1.0 weak
  15. 2021–23 -0.9 weak
  16. 2008–09 -0.9 weak
  17. 2005–06 -0.9 weak
  18. 1964–65 -0.8 weak
  19. 2000–01 -0.8 weak
  20. 2017–18 -0.8 weak

Source: NOAA Climate Prediction Center, ONI (ERSSTv5). Refreshed daily. Season labels are 3-month windows: DJF = Dec–Feb, centred on January.