Tamil Nadu may encounter El Niño differently from rest of India

A view of the Kothapatnam beach. In an El Niño year, India has recorded deficient rainfall and more incidence of droughts, on average. However, Tamil Nadu has reported a strikingly different pattern. | Photo Credit: Kommuri Srinivas/The Hindu The El Niño Southern Oscillation is a climate phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that happens every two to seven years. Its effects, however, are global.This year, weather agencies worldwide are tracking a supposed ‘super’ El Niño. The El Niño refers to surface waters of the Pacific Ocean off the western coast of Peru and Ecuador becoming warmer than average. Typically, these waters warm by about 0.5 °C, but this year the rise has reached 2 °C — a phenomenon referred to as a ‘super’ El Niño. Published - October 07, 2026 09:30 am IST