A ‘Healthy’ Pacific El Niño: Impacts, Research, and Forecasts for 2026
El Niño and La Niña are opposing phases of the Southern Oscillation (ENSO), one of the most powerful drivers of interannual climate variability. These are naturally occurring climate phenomena characterized by increased sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. El Niño events typically occur every 2 to 7 years and last for 9 to 12 months. They often begin to form between March and June, reach their peak intensity between November and February, and have the strongest impact on global temperatures for the year following their onset.
Antarctic and Atlantic currents weaken, La Niña delayed, scientists discover new ocean currents
Antarctic currents, which supply 40% of the world’s deep oceans with nutrients and oxygen, are slowing dramatically. These deep ocean tides supply nearly half the world’s oceans with vital nutrients and oxygen, but melting ice shelves are slowing them. Currents in the Atlantic Ocean are also weakening — which could make the climate in some regions unrecognizable. And a newly discovered body of water called Atlantic Equatorial Water stretches from Brazil to West Africa.