Japan weather bureau says 70% chance of no El Nino, La Nina through winter

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's weather bureau said on Friday there was a 70% chance of no El Nino or La Nina occurring from now through the northern hemisphere winter.

Last month, it predicted the prospect of normal weather conditions continuing through early winter at 60%.

An El Nino phenomenon is a warming of ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific that typically happens every few years, sometimes causing crop damage, flash floods or fires. A La Nina brings unusually cool ocean temperatures to the equatorial Pacific Ocean region and is also linked with floods and drought.

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

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