El Niño 2014-2016
El Niño 2014-2016 lasted about 22 months, from Sep–Nov 2014 to Apr–Jun 2016. The Oceanic Niño Index peaked at +2.6 °C in NDJ 2015, a very strong El Niño, ranked #1 of 23 since 1950.
What happened
A long event that peaked in late 2015 among the strongest on record. It brought drought to southern Africa, Central America's Dry Corridor and Southeast Asia, prolonged coral bleaching and helped make 2016 a record-warm year.
Impacts vary by region and event; see our country pages for the usual pattern.
ONI before, during and after El Niño 2014-2016
Season by season
| Season | Year | ONI | Niño 3.4 temp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| SON Sep–Nov | 2014 | +0.5 °C | 27.22 °C |
| OND Oct–Dec | 2014 | +0.7 °C | 27.35 °C |
| NDJ Nov–Jan | 2014 | +0.8 °C | 27.36 °C |
| DJF Dec–Feb | 2015 | +0.7 °C | 27.28 °C |
| JFM Jan–Mar | 2015 | +0.7 °C | 27.43 °C |
| FMA Feb–Apr | 2015 | +0.7 °C | 27.95 °C |
| MAM Mar–May | 2015 | +0.9 °C | 28.49 °C |
| AMJ Apr–Jun | 2015 | +1.0 °C | 28.83 °C |
| MJJ May–Jul | 2015 | +1.2 °C | 28.82 °C |
| JJA Jun–Aug | 2015 | +1.4 °C | 28.73 °C |
| JAS Jul–Sep | 2015 | +1.7 °C | 28.69 °C |
| ASO Aug–Oct | 2015 | +2.0 °C | 28.79 °C |
| SON Sep–Nov | 2015 | +2.3 °C | 28.99 °C |
| OND Oct–Dec | 2015 | +2.5 °C | 29.10 °C |
| NDJ Nov–Jan | 2015 | +2.6 °C | 29.15 °C |
| DJF Dec–Feb | 2016 | +2.5 °C | 29.05 °C |
| JFM Jan–Mar | 2016 | +2.2 °C | 28.99 °C |
| FMA Feb–Apr | 2016 | +1.7 °C | 28.92 °C |
| MAM Mar–May | 2016 | +1.1 °C | 28.74 °C |
| AMJ Apr–Jun | 2016 | +0.6 °C | 28.37 °C |
Compare with other episodes
← El Niño 2009-2010El Niño 2018-2019 →La Niña 2011-2012La Niña 2017-2018El Niño 2026 (current)
Frequently asked questions
When did El Niño 2014-2016 start and end?
It started in SON 2014 and ended in AMJ 2016, about 22 months.
How strong was El Niño 2014-2016?
Its peak ONI was +2.6 °C (NDJ 2015), classified as very strong. It ranks #1 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, below the +2.6 °C peak of El Niño 2014-2016.
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.