WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The El Nino weather pattern picked up strength over the past month and is highly likely to “rank among the largest” ever recorded when it peaks between October and December, United States (US) forecasters said Thursday.

El Nino warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, triggering worldwide changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns.

In its latest update, the US Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said there is an 81 per cent chance of a “very strong” El Nino between October-December that would rank among the largest such events in the historic record going back to 1950.