NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government forecaster predicted on Thursday that the feared El Nino phenomenon, which can affect global weather, would develop weakly this month and would persist through the Northern Hemisphere winter from December to February next year.
"Supported by the model forecasts and the continued warmth across the Pacific Ocean, the official forecast calls for the development of most likely a weak El Niño during September 2012, persisting through December-February 2012-13," the U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said in its monthly report.
(Reporting By Josephine Mason)