El Niño events have become significantly stronger in recent decades, with new research suggesting human-caused global warming may be driving the change.
A study published in Science on August 27 found that El Niño intensity has increased sharply over the past 40 years compared with the relative stability seen during the previous 1,000 years. Researchers reconstructed historical Pacific temperatures using coral records from the Galápagos Islands.
The findings suggest that stronger El Niño events could amplify extreme weather worldwide, increasing the risks of severe flooding and drought.
Lead author Julia Cole of the University of Michigan described the coral records as a “time machine” for studying long-term changes in the Pacific climate.
Researchers say the results indicate that a major driver of global climate extremes is already changing.
Related Tweet:
El Niños have become 40% stronger in the last 40 years than the previous 1,000 - and this year's event is on track to be the biggest ever https://t.co/uOzARBX3o9
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) August 27, 2026
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