Pacific Ocean temperatures exceed 30°C for first time ever amid El Niño

Sea surface temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific crossed 30°C for the first time on record earlier this month, reaching 30.06°C, according to NOAA data. The reading in the Niño 3.4 region surpassed the previous record of 29.82°C set in 2015. This comes as El Niño strengthens. The World Meteorological Organisation has warned that El Niño could peak in December.