98% chance of very strong El Niño - SL Met Department

The Department of Meteorology says the probability of the current El Niño phenomenon intensifying into a very strong event has risen to 98 percent.

Director General of Meteorology Ajith Wijemanna said the phenomenon could develop into a very strong El Niño within the next three months.

He said temperatures in the eastern Pacific have risen by more than three degrees Celsius, compared with around 1.4 degrees Celsius last month.

The Department said the current temperature levels are being assessed against records dating back to 1950.