Since the Pacific is a heat reservoir that drives wind patterns around the world, the change in its temperature alters global weather.
An El Nino is defined by ocean surface temperatures rising by more than 0.5 degrees Celsius above the average.
This El Nino is well beyond that, according to the Climate Prediction Center of the US National Weather Service.
"Sea surface temperatures remain +0.5 to +1.5 above average across much of the equatorial Pacific Ocean," the center reported last week.
"Observations and dynamical model forecasts indicate El Nino conditions will continue to intensify and are expected to last through the northern hemisphere winter of 2009-10," it added.
Source-ANI
ARU