At a Sept. 29 press briefing the National Climate Center said El Niño has
developed rapidly and already altered this year’s flood season in east-central
China, producing heavier precipitation in northern and southern belts and drier
conditions in the middle, with floods outweighing drought. The event continues
to strengthen and is expected to become the strongest El Niño on record around
November, and will influence global and Chinese climate through this
autumn–winter and into next spring–summer.
