Overview
- Peru’s weather service Senamhi declared the El Niño event extraordinary after sea-surface temperatures off the north coast exceeded the 3.5°C threshold and rose above 4°C, a finding reported on October 17, 2026.
- Senamhi and Enfen warn that intense, localized coastal rains could begin in December with accumulations of about 250–300 mm in exposed northern and central areas, raising the risk of river overflows, urban flooding and reactivated quebradas.
- Enfen projects above-normal river flows in northern rivers such as Tumbes, Chira, Piura, La Leche and Jequetepeque from November and increases in the Rímac and Chillón from December.
- Authorities are bolstering monitoring by installing meteorological radars in Piura and Ica, advising officials and the public to use Indeci preparedness tools, and planning an Enfen update on October 30, 2026.
- The event is expected to persist into early 2027 with Niño 1+2 at extraordinary levels through about January and Niño 3.4 very strong through about February, which could push coastal air temperatures to record highs and disrupt reservoirs and fisheries where storage and anchoveta stocks are already vulnerable.