UN's meteorological agency predicts rising El Nino event could be among strongest since 1950

Maxx Dilley, Director Climate Prediction and Adaptation Branch of WMO (World Meteorological Organization), informs the media about WMO's El Nino Update during a press conference, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. ( (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP) (The Associated Press)

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David Carlson, Director World Climate Research Program of WMO, informs the media about WMO's El Nino Update during a press conference, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP) (The Associated Press)

Rupa Kumar Kolli, Chief World Climate Applications and Services Division WMO, informs the media about WMO's El Nino Update during a press conference, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP) (The Associated Press)

GENEVA – Experts at the World Meteorological Organization say the El Nino event may be on track for one of the strongest in more than a half-century.

The Geneva-based U.N. body says ocean and atmosphere conditions over the tropical Pacific, and most expert models and opinion point to a strengthening El Nino event in the second half of 2015.

WMO director of climate prediction Maxx Dilley says "we have a well-established El Nino event under way," and farmers, rescue officials and reservoir operators would be among officials bracing for its rise.

A WMO statement Tuesday said models indicate ocean temperatures in the east-central tropical Pacific are likely to reach peaks that could make this El Nino among the four strongest since 1950. Peak strength is expected between October and January.