El Nino conditions are currently present over the equatorial Pacific Ocean and are expected to strengthen further during the southwest monsoon season, the IMD said on Friday.

The atmosphere has responded to the warming sea surface temperatures, and the coupled ocean-atmosphere system now exhibits characteristics consistent with El Nino conditions, it said.

“Forecasts from the Monsoon Mission Coupled Forecast System (MMCFS) indicate a further strengthening of El Nino conditions during the southwest monsoon season,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The last time El Nino conditions developed was in 2023. Since 2000, these conditions have emerged in 2002, 2009 and 2015.

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