Pacific Ocean temperatures hit 30°C, strong El Niño raises concerns for India
Sea surface temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific reached around 30°C on October 22, as an unusually strong El Niño continues to intensify, raising concerns over global weather patterns and rainfall prospects in India.
Data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showed that the temperature crossed a mark not seen in available records.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) expects temperatures across the central and eastern tropical Pacific to reach record levels during October-December. The current El Niño event is likely to peak around December and could remain strong into early 2027.
El Niño is a natural climate pattern in which surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific become unusually warm. This affects winds and the movement of rain clouds, influencing weather patterns across the world.
According to the WMO, the average sea surface temperature anomaly in the Nino 3.4 region rose from 1.6°C above normal in June to 2.5°C in August. Forecasts suggest it could reach around 3.7°C above normal during October-December, exceeding the previous record of 2.6°C recorded during November 2015-January 2016.
These figures measure how much warmer the ocean is than its long-term average, rather than its actual temperature.
For India, the developing El Niño raises concerns over rainfall and rising temperatures. The southwest monsoon ended with rainfall about 13% below normal in 2026, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The WMO's October outlook also points to above-normal temperatures across much of South Asia in the coming months. Below-normal rainfall is more likely over much of central and southern peninsular South Asia during October-December.
However, El Niño is not the only factor influencing India's weather. Other climate patterns and local conditions also affect rainfall and temperatures. Scientists are continuing to monitor the Pacific as the event develops.