The powerful El Nino continues to intensify in the Pacific and is now the strongest since the record-breaking 1997-98 event, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Says El Nino weather pattern has strengthened over the last two weeks

In the end, the Madden Julian Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole failed to cancel out the warming of the Pacific — a situation the Met Office had predicted as early as in April, giving govts time

August ended with a higher-than-anticipated rainfall deficit of 22% and with top India Meteorological Department officials saying the monsoon could start withdrawing in the next few days, the chanc

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said the recently emerged El Nino is now the strongest such event in nearly 20 years.

The hyperactive hurricane season in the Pacific has jumped up another gear, spawning a record trio of category 4 strength tropical storms that will give the powerful El Nino event yet another boost

The first half of the season recorded mixed rainfall, with June recording 116 per cent of LPA and July 83 per cent, which was deficient.

At least 13 per cent of the divisions had excess rainfall, 51 per cent had normal and

But the poor monsoon has not stoked food inflation