El Nino sets temperature record in key Pacific zone: EU monitor

The latest record-breaking temperatures in a key Pacific zone have been set by an increasingly powerful El Nino, according to the EU's climate monitoring service. This September, sea surface temperatures in the region, known as Nino3.4, reached 29.70C, surpassing the previous strong El Nino events of 1982/1983, 1997/1998, and 2015/2016.

While experts cannot yet confirm this as the strongest on record, Copernicus Climate Change Service warns that the current El Nino is already unusually intense, especially considering it has not yet reached its peak. Recent data from Japan's weather agency suggests that El Nino conditions have reached their most intense levels ever, with temperatures 4C above normal.

As El Nino's strength increases, global average sea surface temperatures in September hit a record high of 21.05C, exceeding the previous high of 20.92C set in September 2023. The world experienced its second hottest September on record, with surface air temperatures averaging 16.27C, 1.63C above the pre-industrial average. Scientists warn that this El Nino could push global temperatures to a new record in 2027 and that crossing the Paris Agreement's long-term 1.5C target is only a matter of time, given the current strengthening of the El Nino.