El Nino sets temperature record in key Pacific zone: EU monitor
The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that sea surface temperatures in a key Pacific zone reached a record high of 29.70C in September due to an intensifying El Nino. While experts note this indicates exceptional strength, they caution that historical comparisons are complicated by long-term global warming.
Why it matters
Record-breaking El Nino events significantly increase the risk of extreme weather, including droughts and floods, impacting global food security and economies.
An intensifying El Nino broke a temperature record in a key zone of the Pacific in September, the EU’s climate monitor said on Monday (October 12, 2026), in another sign the weather pattern is gaining exceptional strength.
Global forecasters have been warning for months that this El Nino would likely become the strongest ever observed and the latest record has tumbled even before the episode’s expected peak later this year.
The warming phase of a natural climate cycle, El Nino raises sea temperatures in the tropical Pacific, triggering changes in weather that can increase the risk of drought and flooding, and exacerbate man-made global warming.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service said sea surface temperatures in a tell-tale El Nino monitoring region of the Pacific, known as Nino3.4, had reached an “all-time high” of 29.70C last month.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in