GENEVA, Switzerland — An El Niño event that could disrupt global weather is likely by the end of what has already been a hot year, the UN said Monday. The World Meteorological Organization forecast “a 70 percent chance of an El Niño developing by the end of this year,” a WMO statement said. El Niño is triggered by periodic warming in the eastern Pacific Ocean which can trigger drought in some regions, heavy rain in others. ADVERTISEMENT“WMO does not expect the anticipated El Niño to be as powerful as the 2015-2016 event, but it will still have considerable impacts,” the statement said. Interior parts of South America, Greenland, many south Pacific islands and some in the Caribbean were identified as possible exceptions.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 10, 2018 11:56 UTC