El Niño and La Niña in numbers
43 episodes in 77 years of NOAA data (1950–2026).
El Niño episodes23one every 3.3 years
La Niña episodes20one every 3.9 years
Average El Niño12 monthspeak +1.4 °C
Average La Niña13 monthspeak -1.2 °C
Highest ONI+2.6 °CNDJ 2015
Lowest ONI-2.0 °CNDJ 1973
Where does the current event rank?
El Niño 2026 has reached +2.5 °C so far: #2 of 23 El Niño episodes since 1950.
Time spent in each phase
Share of all 3-month seasons since 1950 by ONI value (±0.5 °C threshold).
The 10 strongest El Niño events
| # | Episode | Peak ONI | Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Niño 2014-2016 | +2.6 °CNDJ 2015 | 22 |
| 2 | El Niño 2026 | +2.5 °CASO 2026 | 7 |
| 3 | El Niño 1997-1998 | +2.4 °CNDJ 1997 | 14 |
| 4 | El Niño 1982-1983 | +2.1 °CDJF 1983 | 16 |
| 5 | El Niño 2023-2024 | +2.0 °CNDJ 2023 | 13 |
| 6 | El Niño 1972-1973 | +1.8 °COND 1972 | 12 |
| 7 | El Niño 1965-1966 | +1.8 °COND 1965 | 12 |
| 8 | El Niño 1957-1958 | +1.7 °CDJF 1958 | 16 |
| 9 | El Niño 1991-1992 | +1.5 °CDJF 1992 | 15 |
| 10 | El Niño 2009-2010 | +1.5 °CNDJ 2009 | 11 |
The 10 strongest La Niña events
| # | Episode | Peak ONI | Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Niña 1973-1974 | -2.0 °CNDJ 1973 | 16 |
| 2 | La Niña 1988-1989 | -1.9 °CNDJ 1988 | 15 |
| 3 | La Niña 2007-2008 | -1.8 °CDJF 2008 | 13 |
| 4 | La Niña 1955-1956 | -1.6 °COND 1955 | 16 |
| 5 | La Niña 1974-1976 | -1.6 °CNDJ 1975 | 20 |
| 6 | La Niña 2010-2011 | -1.6 °COND 2010 | 14 |
| 7 | La Niña 1998-2000 | -1.5 °CNDJ 1999 | 26 |
| 8 | La Niña 1970-1972 | -1.4 °CJFM 1971 | 21 |
| 9 | La Niña 1950-1951 | -1.3 °CDJF 1950 | 15 |
| 10 | La Niña 2020-2021 | -1.1 °COND 2020 | 10 |
Longest episodes
| # | Episode | Months | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Niña 1998-2000 | 26 | -1.5 °C |
| 2 | El Niño 2014-2016 | 22 | +2.6 °C |
| 3 | La Niña 1970-1972 | 21 | -1.4 °C |
| 4 | La Niña 1974-1976 | 20 | -1.6 °C |
| 5 | El Niño 1986-1988 | 19 | +1.5 °C |
| 6 | La Niña 2021-2023 | 19 | -0.9 °C |
| 7 | La Niña 1955-1956 | 16 | -1.6 °C |
| 8 | El Niño 1957-1958 | 16 | +1.7 °C |
Episodes per decade
| Decade | El Niño | La Niña | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3 | 2 | |
| 1960s | 3 | 1 | |
| 1970s | 3 | 3 | |
| 1980s | 2 | 3 | |
| 1990s | 3 | 2 | |
| 2000s | 4 | 4 | |
| 2010s | 3 | 3 | |
| 2020s | 2 | 2 |
Episodes by strength
| Strength | Peak |ONI| | El Niño | La Niña |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weak | 0.5–0.9 °C | 8 | 7 |
| Moderate | 1.0–1.4 °C | 5 | 6 |
| Strong | 1.5–1.9 °C | 6 | 6 |
| Very strong | ≥ 2.0 °C | 4 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
How often does El Niño happen?
Since 1950 there have been 23 El Niño episodes in 77 years: on average one every 3.3 years, though the gap ranges from 1 to 5+ years.
How long does an El Niño last?
On average about 12 months; La Niña averages about 13 months and more often lasts two or three winters.
What was the strongest El Niño?
By peak ONI, El Niño 2014-2016 (+2.6 °C), followed by El Niño 2026 and El Niño 1997-1998.
When does El Niño usually peak?
Most often in NDJ (Nov–Jan), during the Northern Hemisphere winter.
All episodesFull ONI tableDownload CSV
Computed from NOAA CPC's Oceanic Niño Index (ERSSTv5). Free to cite with a link to elninoforecast.com.