NASA satellites reveal striking ocean color change as Super El Niño strengthens
THE TAKEAWAY
The upcoming Super El Niño is changing the color of the ocean, according to satellite images from NASA.
A side-by-side comparison of satellite data from 2025 shows that the equatorial Pacific Ocean typically appears green throughout the year. But as the El Niño weather pattern develops, the area has become measurably bluer over the past several months, according to the agency.
"Some people think of water as being just blue, but it's amazing the multitude of colors the ocean can be," said Matthew Kehrli, a lead research scientist for NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite team at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Experts say the shift is linked to a decline in microscopic plants known as phytoplankton near the equator. These organisms form the foundation of the marine food web and can give ocean waters shades of teal, brown or green. With fewer phytoplankton in the water, the ocean appears bluer.
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This is typical during El Niño. Phytoplankton thrive in cool, nutrient-rich waters, but during an El Niño event, weakening trade winds reduce the upwelling of nutrient-rich deep water to the ocean surface. With fewer nutrients available, phytoplankton populations decline, potentially prompting marine life to seek out new feeding grounds.
As of Sept. 20, El Niño ocean temperatures had surpassed a historical benchmark. The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) stood at +3.04°C, surpassing the warmest value recorded since daily records began in 1982.
The record-breaking ocean temperatures come as El Niño continues to strengthen ahead of the winter season.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the unusually warm tropical Pacific could contribute to a slight increase in global temperatures and atmospheric moisture in the short term, potentially providing more fuel for intense storms.
However, broader winter impacts are expected to remain consistent with a typical Super El Niño pattern, which can produce an active weather season across parts of the U.S.
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"El Niño touches almost all of us in some way every time it occurs," Josh Willis, project scientist for sea level missions at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said. "While many have seen what it can do, we look to the ocean to understand why."
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