El Nino could return in second half of 2017 - WMO

GENEVA (Reuters) - El Nino weather conditions could return to heat up the planet later this year, although neutral conditions are slightly more likely, the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a statement on Thursday.

Climate models surveyed by the WMO suggested a 50 percent chance of neutral conditions continuing in the second half of 2017, with a 35-40 percent chance of El Nino developing, and only a slight chance of La Nina, which tends to have a cooling effect.

(Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Toby Chopra)