The Oceanic Niño Index

  • Released Friday, June 23rd, 2023
  • Updated Friday, August 25th, 2023 at 12:42AM
  • ID: 30847

Animated plot of the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) from 1950-2023, with significant El Niño events labeled.

The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) is is NOAA's primary indicator for monitoring El Niño and La Niña, which are opposite phases of the climate pattern called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or “ENSO” for short.
The ONI is the difference between a three month running average of the sea surface temperature averaged over an area of the ocean from 120 West to 170 West longitude along the equator and the long term average for the same three months.
NOAA considers El Niño conditions to be present when the Oceanic Niño Index is +0.5 or higher, indicating the east-central tropical Pacific is significanty warmer than usual. La Niña conditions exist when the Oceanic Niño Index is -0.5 or lower, indicating the region is cooler than usual.

Animated plot of the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) from 1950-2023.

For More Information

See http://origin.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/ensostuff/ONI_v5.php

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA