El Nino Predicted to Return to Pacific in 3 Months

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CVX
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El Nino Predicted to Return to Pacific in 3 Months

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By Rene Pastor

NEW YORK (Reuters) - El Nino, the weather phenomenon which has killed hundreds and wreaked havoc in the Asia-Pacific region over the years, will develop anew in late 2004, the Climate Prediction Center of the U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration said.

In a monthly report issued late Thursday, the Center said sea surface temperatures have risen sharply in the central Pacific Ocean which may signal the start of the weather anomaly.

"El Nino conditions are expected to develop during the next three months," the Center said on its web site http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/a ... ing/ensoad v isory/index.html

El Nino is a weather phenomenon which leads to an abnormal warming of waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It usually occurs once every three years.

The anomaly was first noticed by Latin American anchovy fishermen in the 19th century and was named in honor of the Christ child because it would take place around the year-end Christmas holiday season.

Severe El Ninos, as happened in 1997/98, would cause searing drought in Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia while spawning rampant flooding in Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia.

The warming of Pacific Ocean waters can cause floods and drought as far as South Africa and trigger severe winter storms in California.

El Nino killed hundreds of people in 1997/98 and caused billions of dollars in damages.



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