UN says El Nino to be 'very strong', last until February

The El Nino weather phenomenon is set to become "very strong" in the months ahead and is nearly certain to persist through to February, the United Nations' climate agency warned Thursday.

"El Nino is firmly established and will intensify into a very strong event in the coming months, with big impacts on rainfall and temperature patterns and associated risks of floods, drought and extreme heat," the World Meteorological Organization said.