Record-breaking super El Nino intensifies in eastern Pacific

A super El Nino event with warming concentrated in the eastern Pacific officially formed in September, and is expected to become the strongest such event since systematic monitoring began, China's National Climate Center said.

Sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific have been rising since May, pushing the Nino 3.4 index — a key indicator used to monitor the climate phenomenon — above the threshold for a super El Nino event, the center said.

The index's three-month running average exceeded 2.5 C from July to September, reaching an average of 2.54 C over the period.

In September, sea surface temperatures across much of the equatorial Pacific were above seasonal averages, with temperatures in the eastern Pacific's main warming zone more than 3 C above normal. The Nino 3.4 index reached 2.94 C, up 0.35 C from August.

The center expects sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific to continue rising over the next three months, peaking in late autumn or early winter.

El Nino is a recurring climate phenomenon characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. It can alter atmospheric circulation patterns and influence weather conditions in many parts of the world, increasing the risk of certain extreme weather events.