La Niña 1988-1989
La Niña 1988-1989 lasted about 15 months, from Apr–Jun 1988 to Apr–Jun 1989. The Oceanic Niño Index peaked at -1.9 °C in NDJ 1988, a strong La Niña, ranked #2 of 20 since 1950.
What happened
A strong La Niña that followed the 1986-88 El Niño; associated with severe drought in the US Midwest in 1988 and floods in Bangladesh.
Impacts vary by region and event; see our country pages for the usual pattern.
ONI before, during and after La Niña 1988-1989
Season by season
| Season | Year | ONI | Niño 3.4 temp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMJ Apr–Jun | 1988 | -1.0 °C | 26.60 °C |
| MJJ May–Jul | 1988 | -1.3 °C | 26.09 °C |
| JJA Jun–Aug | 1988 | -1.3 °C | 25.75 °C |
| JAS Jul–Sep | 1988 | -1.1 °C | 25.63 °C |
| ASO Aug–Oct | 1988 | -1.3 °C | 25.34 °C |
| SON Sep–Nov | 1988 | -1.5 °C | 25.01 °C |
| OND Oct–Dec | 1988 | -1.8 °C | 24.70 °C |
| NDJ Nov–Jan | 1988 | -1.9 °C | 24.64 °C |
| DJF Dec–Feb | 1989 | -1.6 °C | 24.91 °C |
| JFM Jan–Mar | 1989 | -1.4 °C | 25.39 °C |
| FMA Feb–Apr | 1989 | -1.1 °C | 26.05 °C |
| MAM Mar–May | 1989 | -0.8 °C | 26.63 °C |
| AMJ Apr–Jun | 1989 | -0.6 °C | 26.98 °C |
Compare with other episodes
← La Niña 1984-1985La Niña 1995-1996 →El Niño 1986-1988El Niño 1991-1992El Niño 2026 (current)
Frequently asked questions
When did La Niña 1988-1989 start and end?
It started in AMJ 1988 and ended in AMJ 1989, about 15 months.
How strong was La Niña 1988-1989?
Its peak ONI was -1.9 °C (NDJ 1988), classified as strong. It ranks #2 among 20 La Niña episodes since 1950.
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.