El Niño 1953
El Niño 1953 lasted about 11 months, from Mar–May 1953 to Nov–Jan 1953. The Oceanic Niño Index peaked at +0.8 °C in SON 1953, a weak El Niño, ranked #21 of 23 since 1950.
StartMAM 1953Mar–May
EndNDJ 1953Nov–Jan
Duration11 months9 seasons
Peak ONI+0.8 °CSON 1953
Average ONI+0.65 °Cduring the episode
StrengthWeak#21 / 23
ONI before, during and after El Niño 1953
Season by season
| Season | Year | ONI | Niño 3.4 temp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAM Mar–May | 1953 | +0.6 °C | 27.88 °C |
| AMJ Apr–Jun | 1953 | +0.8 °C | 28.22 °C |
| MJJ May–Jul | 1953 | +0.7 °C | 27.96 °C |
| JJA Jun–Aug | 1953 | +0.6 °C | 27.49 °C |
| JAS Jul–Sep | 1953 | +0.7 °C | 27.19 °C |
| ASO Aug–Oct | 1953 | +0.6 °C | 26.91 °C |
| SON Sep–Nov | 1953 | +0.8 °C | 27.00 °C |
| OND Oct–Dec | 1953 | +0.5 °C | 26.74 °C |
| NDJ Nov–Jan | 1953 | +0.6 °C | 26.76 °C |
Compare with other episodes
← El Niño 1951-1952El Niño 1957-1958 →La Niña 1955-1956El Niño 2026 (current)
Frequently asked questions
When did El Niño 1953 start and end?
It started in MAM 1953 and ended in NDJ 1953, about 11 months.
How strong was El Niño 1953?
Its peak ONI was +0.8 °C (SON 1953), classified as weak. It ranks #21 among 23 El Niño episodes since 1950.
How does it compare with the current El Niño?
The current event (El Niño 2026) has reached +2.5 °C so far, above the +0.8 °C peak of El Niño 1953.
Episodes are computed from NOAA's Oceanic Niño Index (ERSSTv5) with the standard rule: five or more consecutive overlapping seasons at or beyond ±0.5 °C. Free to cite with a link to elninoforecast.com.