"El Nino Indicator Hits Record High, Adds To Weather Risks: NOAA"

"A key indicator for the strength of El Niño has reached a record high, the U.S. weather agency said, adding to signs that a weather pattern known for causing extreme droughts, storms and floods could become one of the strongest ever.

El Niño, the 'little boy,' is driven by warm surface water in the eastern Pacific Ocean and its strength is measured by how much higher temperatures are over three-month averages.

In the week ending Nov. 16, temperatures in the Nino 3.4 region, the central band of affected ocean running either side of the equator from 5S-5N and 170-120W, were 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) above average, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in its latest update."

Jo Winterbottom reports for Reuters November 19, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"El Nino Helps Push 2015 Toward Planet's Warmest Year on Record" (Bloomberg)

"How Is El Niño Going to Affect Ski Season?" (Bloomberg)

"El Niño Forecast To Ease Drought as Odds of Wet Winter Rise Again" (San Francisco Chronicle)

"Forecasters Say U.S. Faces an El Niño-Dominated Winter" (Climate Central)

"Double the Average Sierra Snowpack and a Strong El Niño May Be Good News for California Drought" (Weather Channel)

"El Niño in Mexico: More Rain, Fewer Fish" (Mexico News Daily)

"El Niño Brings Unexpected Fish From Mexico to California" (Voice of America)

"Concerns Over Anchovy Numbers Prompt Plan for New Stock Assessment" (Santa Cruz Sentinel)