NASA releases satellite imagery to compare the build-up of this year’s El Niño with two earlier strong events, showing 1997 and 2015 alongside a view of 2026. The release is presented as a way to visualize how the current climate pattern is developing over time.
NASA News frames the comparison as evidence drawn from a long-running satellite record, noting that scientists use a 35-year dataset based on satellite altimetry to measure this year against its strongest predecessors. The Daily Mail and other outlets emphasize the visual side of the comparison, highlighting specific image years in a “then and now” style. Across sources, the core focus stays the same: using satellite observations to place the current El Niño in historical context.
