El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that causes a rise in surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, and is reflected in global wind, pressure, and precipitation patterns.
This phenomenon usually occurs every two to seven years, and lasts for a period ranging between 9 and 12 months.
Climatic conditions fluctuate between the El Niño phenomenon and its opposite La Nina phenomenon, with neutral periods in between.
According to the global seasonal climate update issued by the organization, expectations indicate “a rapid development into a strong El Niño event during the period from July to September.”
The organization classifies El Niño events into weak, moderate, strong, and very strong, which means that the current phenomenon is likely to reach level three out of four levels.
The organization said that El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific Ocean, and are expected to intensify rapidly in the coming months, which increases the possibility of recording extreme weather events in many parts of the world.