# El Niño monitoring and forecasting efforts

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/el-nio-monitoring-and-forecasting-efforts
> Updated: 2026-09-29T05:00:00.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

Efforts to monitor a strengthening El Niño event in the Pacific have expanded through the use of satellite and autonomous maritime technology.

NASA and European agencies are utilizing the Sentinel-6B and Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellites to enhance hurricane forecasting and monitor sea level changes. By measuring sea surface height, wave size, and wind speed, these satellites help identify concentrated ocean heat, which is critical for predicting storm intensity during El Niño.

Complementing these orbital observations, NOAA has deployed four Saildrone Explorer uncrewed surface vehicles to investigate the equatorial Pacific. Departing from Honolulu, these wind-powered vessels are traveling toward the center of the developing event to collect atmospheric and oceanographic data. This mission works alongside a multinational network of buoys and floats to track how heat is shifting eastward and being released into the atmosphere.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-29: NOAA deploys Saildrones to monitor El Niño in the Pacific

NOAA has deployed four Saildrone uncrewed vessels to the equatorial Pacific to collect critical data on a strengthening El Niño event and its impact on global weather patterns.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/noaa-deploys-saildrones-to-monitor-el-nio-in-the-pacific

### 2026-09-09: NASA satellites enhance hurricane forecasting during El Niño

NASA and European agencies are using dual Sentinel-6 satellites to monitor sea levels and ocean heat, improving hurricane prediction accuracy during the El Niño phenomenon.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nasa-satellites-enhance-hurricane-forecasting-during-el-nio

---
Cite as: El Niño monitoring and forecasting efforts. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/el-nio-monitoring-and-forecasting-efforts