98% Chance of Very Strong El Niño, Met Department Says

COLOMBO (News 1st):The Department of Meteorology says that the probability of the current El Niño phenomenon intensifying into a very strong El Niño event has risen to 98 percent.

Director General of Meteorology Ajith Wijemanna said the phenomenon could develop into a very strong El Niño within the next three months.

He said the temperature in the eastern Pacific has risen by more than three degrees Celsius, compared to around 1.4 degrees Celsius last month.

The Department said the current temperature levels are being assessed against records dating back to 1950.

The Director General noted that the probability of the phenomenon becoming very strong has now risen to 98 percent during the months of October, November and December.