TOKYO, April 11 (Reuters) - Japan's weather bureau said on Monday there was a high possibility that a La Nina weather pattern would emerge in summer after the El Nino ends.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the El Nino, which is often linked to heavy rainfall and droughts, was expected to continue weakening and that there was a high possibility the weather event would finish by early summer.
El Nino - a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific - can trigger drought in Southeast Asia and Australia and floods in South America, hitting production of key foods such as rice, wheat and sugar.
While a La Nina can be less damaging than El Nino, severe La Ninas are also linked to floods, droughts and hurricanes.
(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
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