GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) —  El Nino is here and will quickly develop into a strong event between July and September, fuelling the likelihood of extreme weather, the United Nations’ climate agency warned Friday.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the climate phenomenon would rapidly gain strength, as it warned countries to brace for impact.

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