El Niño Sets New Pacific Heat Record, Peak Still Weeks Away

Pacific sea surface temperatures reached 3.05°C above average on 19 September, surpassing the 3.02°C daily record from 2015. The Oceanic Niño Index reading in the central-eastern Pacific makes the developing El Niño the strongest on record. By the Relative Oceanic Niño Index, it is not yet a record. The peak is expected several weeks after 19 September.