El Niño Atlas

Past El Niños

Since 1979 there have been 13 completed El Niño events, plus the current one. The two strongest before this one, by peak Oceanic Niño Index, were 1997–98 and 2015–16.

The current event's latest Oceanic Niño Index is 2.46 °C (ASO 2026). For what past El Niños did in a particular country, open that country's page: each one compares every El Niño season since 1979 with all other years.

Peak strength of every El Niño since 1979 (Oceanic Niño Index, NOAA):

El NiñoPeak ONIPeak season
AMJ 2026 – ASO 2026 (ongoing)2.46 °CASO 2026
MJJ 2023 – MAM 20241.99 °CNDJ 2023
SON 2019 – FMA 20200.75 °CNDJ 2019
ASO 2018 – MJJ 20191.05 °CNDJ 2018
SON 2014 – AMJ 20162.59 °CNDJ 2015
JJA 2009 – FMA 20101.5 °CNDJ 2009
ASO 2006 – DJF 20070.88 °COND 2006
JAS 2004 – JFM 20050.71 °CNDJ 2004
JJA 2002 – JFM 20031.19 °COND 2002
AMJ 1997 – MAM 19982.37 °CNDJ 1997
SON 1994 – JFM 19950.97 °CNDJ 1994
MJJ 1991 – MJJ 19921.54 °CDJF 1992
ASO 1986 – DJF 19881.49 °CASO 1987
AMJ 1982 – MJJ 19832.14 °CDJF 1983