The El Nino weather system in the Pacific Ocean is approaching extreme intensity, the World Meteorological Organization has warned.

In mid-July and August, temperatures were 2.2 to 2.6 degrees above normal, while some areas recorded undersea temperatures of 8 degrees above normal.

El Nino has almost a 100% chance of persisting until February 2027, with an intensification threatening extreme weather conditions including extreme heat, floods and droughts in various parts of the world.

El Niño is a climate phenomenon in which the waters of the central and eastern Pacific become warmer than normal, affecting wind and cloud circulation that affects weather around the world.