(Reuters) — A U.S. government weather forecaster has raised its forecast for the chance of El Nino conditions during the Northern Hemisphere summer to 70 percent, up from a 60 percent chance last month.
The forecast includes a 60 percent chance that the weather phenomenon will last through autumn.
The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center said in its monthly report that El Nino conditions were apparent by the end of March. It cited above-average sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean, although they remained weak.
These conditions were likely to persist throughout 2015, the centre said, although there is considerable uncertainty as to how strong the event may become.
El Nino, the warming of Pacific sea surface temperatures, can trigger drought in some parts of the world and cause flooding in others.
The centre said that its monthly report will be released on the second Thursday of each month beginning in May.
