--- description: Record-high temperatures in the Pacific Ocean could prolong severe droughts and flooding already experienced as a result of El Niño. title: Record Temperatures in Pacific Raise Fears of Extreme El Niño image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Science](/section/science/) ## Science Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [climate change](/tag/climate-change/) ## climate change Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Record Temperatures Recorded in Pacific Raise Fears of Powerful El Niño by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 18, 2015 9:41 AM CUT by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 18, 2015 9:41 AM CUT A section of the Pacific Ocean has [recorded](http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2015/11/17/el-nio-nears-record-territiory/75933884/ "undefined") its highest temperatures ever, raising fears of prolonged droughts and flooding as a result of what may be the strongest El Niño in 15 years. A band of water in the central Pacific registered at 85.5°F (29.7°C) over the course of one week — over 5 degrees warmer than usual and higher than ever previously recorded, _USA Today_ reported on Tuesday. Temperature readings suggest this year’s El Niño — a weather phenomenon [caused](http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/ "undefined") by unusually warm water in the Pacific and that results in extreme weather patterns across the tropics and sub-tropics — [could become](http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/17/el-nino-on-track-to-be-one-of-the-worst-ever-un.html "undefined") among the strongest in recorded history. The phenomenon is expected to strengthen through to the end of the year and could have devastating consequences around the world, according to CNBC. El Niño already triggered an intense hurricane and typhoon season in the northern Pacific Ocean, while parts of Southeast Asia have been experiencing severe droughts, exacerbating smog-causing wildfires in Indonesia. WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud told _USA Today_ that climate change was likely a factor. “So this naturally occurring El Niño event and human induced climate change may interact and modify each other in ways which we have never before experienced,” he said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4117815/el-nino-pacific-temperatures-climate-change-record-breaking/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4117815/el-nino-pacific-temperatures-climate-change-record-breaking/"},"headline":"Record Temperatures Recorded in Pacific Raise Fears of Powerful El Niño","datePublished":"2015-11-18T09:41:42.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T12:43:29.874Z","description":"The warm waters could mean intense storms and drought across the tropics and sub-tropics","url":"https://time.com/4117815/el-nino-pacific-temperatures-climate-change-record-breaking/","keywords":["climate change","weather","El Nino","pacific ocean","Flooding"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/climate-change/","name":"climate change"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4117815/el-nino-pacific-temperatures-climate-change-record-breaking/","name":"Record Temperatures Recorded in Pacific Raise Fears of Powerful El Niño"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Watch: A Timelapse of Climate Change","description":"Climate Change","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/ywHiuC83/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2013-05-09T17:46:05.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ywHiuC83.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4117815/el-nino-pacific-temperatures-climate-change-record-breaking/","duration":"PT48S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4117815/el-nino-pacific-temperatures-climate-change-record-breaking/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```