Singapore’s Meteorological Services said the country is more likely than not to experience weak El Nino conditions in the coming weeks, local media reported Thursday.
Based on its assessment of model outlooks from international climate centers, the agency said there is a 60 to 70 per cent chance of El Nino.
Meanwhile, the agency also pointed out that predictions could be off the mark, given that the existing models cannot “skillfully ” capture the abnormal warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean at this time of the year.
Several Pacific Rim countries have declared “El Nino is here” in the past few days.
El Nino, which happens at irregular intervals of two to seven years, can cause changes of both temperatures and rainfall. In the case of Southeast Asia, the phenomenon can lead to prolonged drier and warmer weather.
