El Niño 1982-1983
El Niño 1982-1983 lasted about 16 months, from Apr–Jun 1982 to May–Jul 1983. The Oceanic Niño Index peaked at +2.1 °C in DJF 1983, a very strong El Niño, ranked #4 of 23 since 1950.
What happened
One of the strongest events of the 20th century and the first one studied in real time: catastrophic floods in Ecuador and northern Peru, and severe drought in Australia, Indonesia and southern Africa.
Impacts vary by region and event; see our country pages for the usual pattern.
ONI before, during and after El Niño 1982-1983
Season by season
| Season | Year | ONI | Niño 3.4 temp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMJ Apr–Jun | 1982 | +0.7 °C | 28.23 °C |
| MJJ May–Jul | 1982 | +0.7 °C | 28.12 °C |
| JJA Jun–Aug | 1982 | +0.8 °C | 27.82 °C |
| JAS Jul–Sep | 1982 | +1.0 °C | 27.72 °C |
| ASO Aug–Oct | 1982 | +1.4 °C | 28.02 °C |
| SON Sep–Nov | 1982 | +1.8 °C | 28.36 °C |
| OND Oct–Dec | 1982 | +2.0 °C | 28.56 °C |
| NDJ Nov–Jan | 1982 | +2.1 °C | 28.66 °C |
| DJF Dec–Feb | 1983 | +2.1 °C | 28.74 °C |
| JFM Jan–Mar | 1983 | +1.9 °C | 28.73 °C |
| FMA Feb–Apr | 1983 | +1.5 °C | 28.69 °C |
| MAM Mar–May | 1983 | +1.2 °C | 28.70 °C |
| AMJ Apr–Jun | 1983 | +0.9 °C | 28.53 °C |
| MJJ May–Jul | 1983 | +0.6 °C | 28.01 °C |
Compare with other episodes
← El Niño 1977-1978El Niño 1986-1988 →La Niña 1983-1984El Niño 2026 (current)
Frequently asked questions
When did El Niño 1982-1983 start and end?
It started in AMJ 1982 and ended in MJJ 1983, about 16 months.
How strong was El Niño 1982-1983?
Its peak ONI was +2.1 °C (DJF 1983), classified as very strong. It ranks #4 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 +2.1 °C peak of El Niño 1982-1983.
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.