2020 likely to be one of warmest years on record

GENEVA: Global temperatures boosted by climate change will still be higher than usual despite the cooling effect of a "moderate to strong" La Nina weather phenomenon, the UN said on Thursday.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said La Nina "has developed and is expected to last into next year, affecting temperatures, precipitation and storm patterns in many parts of the world."

It could also be contributing to an unusually active hurricane season, the agency said. El Nino, which has a major influence on weather and climate patterns and associated hazards such as heavy rains, floods and drought, has a warming influence on global temperatures, whilst La Nina tends to have the opposite effect.