El Nino weather pattern appears to be continuing: Japan's weather bureau

Japan's weather bureau said on Thursday the El Nino weather pattern appears to be continuing and that there was an 80 percent chance it would stretch into the northern hemisphere spring. A U.S. government weather forecaster last month projected a 90 percent chance of the El Nino weather pattern emerging during the northern hemisphere winter 2018-19, with a 60 percent chance of continuing through spring this year.

The last El Nino, a warming of ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific that typically happens every few years, occurred around 2015/2016 and caused weather-related crop damage, fires and flash floods. 

(With inputs from agencies.)