2015 El Nino is the strongest since 1997-98: Australia weather bureau

Says positive Indian Ocean Dipole remains possible in addition to the El Nino

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said the recently emerged El Nino is now the strongest such event in nearly 20 years.

Tropical Pacific Ocean temperature anomalies are at the highest levels since the El Nino that occurred between 1997 and 1998, the Australian climate bureau said on Tuesday.

The Australian weather bureau said a positive Indian Ocean Dipole remains possible in addition to the El Nino.

A positive Indian Ocean Dipole indicates warmer sea surface temperatures in the western Indian Ocean relative to the east.

While an El Nino will typically bring dry conditions to Australia's east coast, when associated with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, drought-like conditions are seen across more of Australia, often with greater intensity, data from the Australian Weather Bureau shows.