Japan's weather bureau said on Thursday there were neither signs of El Nino nor La Nina phenomena at this moment, but it is approaching characteristics of La Nina.
The bureau also said characteristics of La Nina will become clearer towards winter but won't last long, adding that the possibilities of La Nina forming and normal weather conditions continuing are split 50-50.
El Nino is a warming of ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific. La Nina is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific region and is linked to floods and drought.
