---
title: "150 Days of Records: El Niño Hits Historical Highs and Unleashes Floods in South America"
description: "Water temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific have remained at record levels for 150 consecutive days. The anomaly is causing floods and landslides in Peru, Ecuador, and Chile."
date: 2026-10-31T12:48:39.031Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/el-nino-record-pacific-temperature-150-days
tags: [el-nino, pacific-ocean, climate, floods, south-america, ecuador, peru, chile, weather]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# 150 Days of Records: El Niño Hits Historical Highs and Unleashes Floods in South America

![Powerful waves crash onto a black sandy beach under a cloudy sky near rocky hills](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/31/el-nino-rekordnaya-temperatura-tihogo-okeana-150-dney/el-nino-rekordnaya-temperatura-tihogo-okeana-150-dney-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific are at record levels for 150 days: 30.2 °C on average, up to 31.6 °C locally
- In Guayaquil (Ecuador), October precipitation exceeded normal by nearly 100 times — 50.8 cm instead of 0.5 cm
- Floods in Quito and mudslides in Santiago were a direct consequence of the anomalous El Niño
- Off the coast of Peru, water is 9.4 °C warmer than normal; worsening conditions are expected with the rainy season
- Winter weather impacts forecasted for the US: storms, floods in California, increased precipitation in Florida

In the central equatorial Pacific — the region where meteorological services monitor the development of the El Niño phenomenon — water surface temperatures have remained at record highs for 150 consecutive days. According to data cited by The Washington Post, the average temperature in this zone reached 30.2 °C, with individual points rising to 31.6 °C. For comparison, the previous historical maximum recorded in 2015 was 29.8 °C. Thus, the current anomaly has surpassed the 2015 record by more than a degree and a half, making it the strongest thermal deviation in the observational history of this region.

### South America Under Attack: Rainfall One Hundred Times Above Normal

The most tangible consequences of the anomalous ocean warming are being recorded in western South America. The head of a meteorological consulting firm in Peru, Abraham Levy, stated that Peru and Ecuador are preparing for one of the strongest manifestations of El Niño in modern history. In the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil, about 50.8 centimeters of precipitation fell in October, compared to the regional climatic average of 0.5 centimeters — nearly a hundred times more than usual. Last week, heavy downpours caused floods in Ecuador's capital, Quito, while in Santiago, the capital of Chile, torrential rains triggered destructive mudslides and landslides.

### Peru: Water 9.4 Degrees Warmer Than Normal

Off the coast of Peru, ocean water temperatures exceed the multi-year normal by 9.4 degrees. Experts warn that with the onset of the rainy season in the country, the situation could become significantly more complicated: the combination of abnormally warm water and increased atmospheric precipitation creates conditions for recurring floods, coastal erosion, and disruptions to fisheries, which traditionally depend on the temperature regime of Peruvian waters.

### US Winter: Storms, Floods, and Anomalous Precipitation

Meteorologists expect the impact of El Niño to extend to winter weather in the United States. According to forecasts, storm activity could intensify along the country's western and eastern coasts. Floods cannot be ruled out in California, while Florida is expected to see significantly more precipitation than usual. These factors could put additional pressure on infrastructure and emergency management systems in the most vulnerable states.

### What is El Niño and Why It Matters

El Niño is a climatic phenomenon associated with the periodic rise in water surface temperatures in the central and eastern parts of the equatorial Pacific zone. It affects ocean-atmosphere interaction processes, which can lead to abnormal precipitation, droughts, and temperature deviations in various parts of the world. The current phase, based on the totality of indicators, goes beyond the typical cycle and requires meteorological services and civil protection agencies to revise their disaster response scenarios.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Температура воды в Тихом океане держится на рекордном уровне уже 150 дней – Zamin.uz, 31.10.2026](https://zamin.uz/ru/mir/225992-temperatura-vody-v-tikhom-okeane-derzhitsya-na-rekordnom-urovne-uzhe-150-dney.html) - Primary source (The Washington Post). All key figures: 30.2 °C / 31.6 °C / 29.8 °C (2015), 50.8 cm of precipitation in Guayaquil, 9.4 °C deviation in Peru, 150 days — taken from this source.
- [Ученые сообщили о рекордно высокой температуре воды в Мировом океане](https://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2026/08/11/29078527.shtml) - Confirms the general context of record ocean temperatures in 2026. Contains no direct figures for the equatorial Pacific zone, no contradictions found.

## FAQ

### How many days have water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific remained at record levels?

According to The Washington Post, for 150 consecutive days. The average temperature reached 30.2 °C, and locally up to 31.6 °C, surpassing the 2015 record (29.8 °C).

### Which countries have been most affected by the current El Niño?

The most tangible consequences have been recorded in Ecuador (floods in Quito, abnormal rains in Guayaquil), Peru (coastal water temperatures 9.4 °C above normal), and Chile (mudslides and landslides in Santiago).

### By how much did precipitation in Guayaquil exceed normal levels?

In October, Guayaquil received about 50.8 cm of precipitation compared to the climatic average of 0.5 cm — nearly 100 times more than usual.

### How might El Niño affect winter in the US?

Storm activity is expected to intensify on the western and eastern coasts, with potential flooding in California and increased precipitation in Florida.