News > For 270 years, the Pacific was in a slow El Niño

For 270 years, the Pacific was in a slow El Niño

New research based on sediment cores from Lake Bulusan in the Philippines suggests that El Niño-like conditions persisted in the western Pacific from 1630 to 1900. This extended period challenges the common perception that El Niños are brief events. El Niños, characterized by a disruption of warm water patterns, usually last 9-12 months, but weaker variations can occur over longer periods.