The history
76 years of ONI · event rankingSince 1950 there have been 23 El Niño episodes by CPC’s definition (ONI ≥ +0.5 °C for five consecutive seasons). Only three exceeded +2 °C before this one: 1982–83, 1997–98 and 2015–16 — the "super El Niños". Here you can see where 2026 fits.
ONI month by month, 1950 to today
Each bar is a 3-month running season, colored by class. Ember for El Niño; blue for La Niña.
01Aligned trajectories
ONI of the biggest events, from the January of onset to the end of the following year
Strong events are born in the southern autumn, grow through the winter and peak between November and January. The comparison shows whether 2026 is ahead of or behind the earlier ones.
02Ranking
Every El Niño since 1950 (ONI)
Sorted by ONI peak. The ongoing event is highlighted with its latest value — the peak has not arrived yet.
| # | Event | Peak | Peak season | Duration | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015–16 | +2.6 | NDJ 2015 | 20 seas. | Exceptional |
| 2 | 1997–98 | +2.4 | NDJ 1997 | 12 seas. | Very strong |
| 3 | 1982–83 | +2.1 | DJF 1983 | 14 seas. | Very strong |
| 4 | 2023–24 | +2.0 | NDJ 2023 | 11 seas. | Strong |
| 5 | 1972–73 | +1.8 | OND 1972 | 10 seas. | Strong |
| 6 | 1965–66 | +1.8 | OND 1965 | 10 seas. | Strong |
| 7 | 2026–27 ongoing | +1.8 | JJA 2026 | 3 seas. | Strong |
| 8 | 1957–58 | +1.7 | DJF 1958 | 14 seas. | Strong |
| 9 | 1991–92 | +1.5 | DJF 1992 | 13 seas. | Strong |
| 10 | 2009–10 | +1.5 | NDJ 2009 | 9 seas. | Strong |
| 11 | 1987–88 | +1.5 | ASO 1987 | 17 seas. | Moderate |
| 12 | 1963–64 | +1.2 | OND 1963 | 8 seas. | Moderate |
| 13 | 2002–03 | +1.2 | OND 2002 | 8 seas. | Moderate |
| 14 | 2018–19 | +1.1 | NDJ 2018 | 10 seas. | Moderate |
| 15 | 1951–52 | +1.0 | SON 1951 | 8 seas. | Moderate |
| 16 | 1968–69 | +1.0 | DJF 1969 | 8 seas. | Weak |
| 17 | 1994–95 | +1.0 | NDJ 1994 | 5 seas. | Weak |
| 18 | 2006–07 | +0.9 | OND 2006 | 5 seas. | Weak |
| 19 | 1976–77 | +0.8 | NDJ 1976 | 6 seas. | Weak |
| 20 | 1977–78 | +0.8 | OND 1977 | 5 seas. | Weak |
| 21 | 1953–54 | +0.8 | SON 1953 | 9 seas. | Weak |
| 22 | 2019–20 | +0.8 | NDJ 2019 | 6 seas. | Weak |
| 23 | 2004–05 | +0.7 | NDJ 2004 | 7 seas. | Weak |
By RONI (relative index)
RONI removes the warming of the whole tropics. Recent events "lose" intensity because part of the heat belongs to the whole ocean, not to El Niño. Top 12.
| # | Event | Peak | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1982–83 | +2.40 | DJF 1983 |
| 2 | 1997–98 | +2.28 | NDJ 1997 |
| 3 | 2015–16 | +2.25 | NDJ 2015 |
| 4 | 1991–92 | +2.12 | DJF 1992 |
| 5 | 1965–66 | +1.99 | OND 1965 |
| 6 | 1972–73 | +1.97 | OND 1972 |
| 7 | 1957–58 | +1.89 | DJF 1958 |
| 8 | 2009–10 | +1.50 | NDJ 2009 |
| 9 | 1986–87 | +1.46 | DJF 1987 |
| 10 | 2023–24 | +1.42 | OND 2023 |
| 11 | 2026–27 | +1.36 | JJA 2026 |
| 12 | 2002–03 | +1.33 | OND 2002 |
On the daily scale (OISST, since 1981)
Daily Niño 3.4 maximum and how many days each event spent above the thresholds.
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