El Nino unlikely to hit monsoon: Weather office chief

The El Nino weather phenomenon is unlikely to hit India's monsoon rains, the weather office chief said on Wednesday.

El Nino, also called "Little Boy" or "Christ Child", is a warming of ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific. The pattern typically brings below average rainfall for the Asia Pacific region, threatening the yields of agricultural crops, while America is often hit by wetter than average weather. LS Rathore, chief at the India Meteorological Department, said the weather pattern is likely to develop only from mid-August. He said the monsoon rains have improved and are likely to cover the entire country on Wednesday, but added they are likely to remain below average until next week. Monsoon rains usually cover the entire country by July 15.