{
  "id": 2405309,
  "title": "‘Off the charts’ El Niño is already the strongest since records began",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/off-the-charts-el-nino-is-already-the-strongest-since-records-began",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-21T17:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Scientist",
    "slug": "new-scientist",
    "url": "https://www.newscientist.com/article/2586031-off-the-charts-el-nino-is-already-the-strongest-since-records-began/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The El Niño phenomenon has intensified to unprecedented levels, according to climate scientist James Hansen of Columbia University. Hansen, in a recent newsletter, stated that the current El Niño is the strongest since records began, surpassing the 1997-98 super El Niño. Two primary measures of El Niños, the heat anomaly in the upper 300 meters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean and the Niño3.4 index, both indicate an extraordinary level of warmth. While the Niño3.4 index currently stands at 2.75°C, which is the highest on record for this time of year, it may not be as extreme as the peak of the 1997-98 El Niño. Despite the disagreement among experts on the Niño3.4 index, Daniel Swain from the California Institute for Water Resources asserts that the current values are the highest ever seen for this time of year. This developing super El Niño is expected to surpass all previous events in terms of its global climate impacts, potentially reaching levels not seen since the 1877-1878 El Niño, which caused widespread devastation, including famines and an estimated 50 million deaths.",
  "summary": "Renowned climate scientist James Hansen says the developing super El Niño has already \"blown past\" previous events with months to go before it peaks",
  "key_points": [
    "Current El Niño is strongest since records began, surpassing 1997-98 super El Niño",
    "Niño3.4 index at 2.75°C, highest on record for this time of year",
    "Expected to surpass all previous events in global climate impacts"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}