El Niño pushes Pacific Nino3.4 region to 29.70°C record

An intensifying El Niño pushed sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific’s Nino3.4 monitoring region to a record 29.70°C in September, surpassing peaks during several previous major El Niño events before the current episode has reached its expected peak. Forecasters expect the event to strengthen into late 2026, with warnings that it could drive extreme weather and keep global temperatures elevated into 2027. Japan’s weather agency called it the strongest on record by its measure, and China’s climate authorities say it could become the strongest since systematic monitoring began in 1951. Copernicus cautions that comparisons are complicated by long-term ocean warming and a newer index does not yet rank the current event above past ones, though it describes the episode as exceptionally strong. The U.N. has also warned that the Paris Agreement’s long-term 1.5°C temperature limit will be exceeded, while saying the extent and duration of any overshoot still depend on human choices.