El Nino now third strongest on record: Australian weather bureau

The six-month long El Nino over the Pacific Ocean is now one of the three strongest ever recorded, Australia's bureau of meteorology has confirmed.

In its latest update to the El Nino weather pattern, Australia's weather bureau said the sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific are now the highest since the climatic phenomenon was declared six months ago.

"International climate models suggest the peak in El Niño sea surface temperatures is likely to occur before the end of the year, then gradually ease in the first quarter of 2016," the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said in its El Nino update released late Tuesday.

El Nino usually brings below-average rainfall in the eastern parts of Australia and increased daytime temperatures in areas south of the tropics.

A positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), that further reinforces the drying across Australia, is currently the strongest on record, however forecasters expect it to break down during November and early December.

The El Nino weather pattern has already been causing havoc across the Pacific, contributing to droughts, erratic rains, and frosts, which have impacted as many as 4.6 million people, including 2.4 million in Papua New Guinea.

In response, Australia's government has announced a 9 million- Australian-dollar aid package to provide seed stock for drought resistant crops, water sanitation and to map El Nino's impact on water resources, vegetation and crops. Endit