Summer El Niño event over, BoM says

summer el niño event over, bom says

El Niño occurs when there’s a change in the typical pattern of sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

The Bureau of Meteorology has declared the El Niño event that gripped the Pacific Ocean over summer to be over.

The southern oscillation index has returned to a “neutral” state, meaning neither El Niño nor La Niña is in effect.

Nonetheless, the Bureau has forecast higher than median average temperatures for most of Australia in the coming months, including a chance for “unusually warm” conditions in parts of the east and the west.

No forecast has been issued for the next phase of the SOI.

El Niño years are followed by ENSO-neutral years about 50 per cent of the time, the BoM said.

El Niño years are followed by La Niña years about 40 per cent of the time, and in about 10 per cent of years an El Niño year has been followed by another El Niño year.

This El Niño event was preceded by three successive La Niña events.

El Niño conditions are typically clarified by higher temperatures and less rainfall, particularly over summer.

However, Australia’s summer was more characterised by floods than bushfires, similar to preceding La Niña years.

But the Bureau of Meteorology says “no two El Niño events are the same, and their impact on Australia varies”.

“This is particularly true of summer months”, a Bureau spokesman said in January.

“Once the northern monsoon arrives, the influence of both El Niño and a positive IOD is diminished, and the chance of summer rainfall events increases.”

They report that contrary to being exclusively dry, up to half of the past El Niño events have actually included heavy rainfall, particularly across parts of eastern Australia.

Other factors also influenced Australia’s summer rainfall, including strong westerly winds blowing close to Antarctica.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, celebrity and sport via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.

News Related

OTHER NEWS

Disrupt Burrup protesters searched and phones seized

Disrupt Burrup Hub group say police have issued move-on notices prohibiting access to the WA site. A group of climate activists and filmmakers say their phones have been seized during ... Read more »

The generation driving a ‘megatrend’ of poor mental health in Australia

As individuals, we have unique experiences that affect our mental health and wellbeing, but what about the collective experiences that influence each generation? The mental health of Australians has been ... Read more »

Geraldton meatworks set to reopen after five years in bid to meet chilled meat demand from Asia, Middle East

Syed Ghazaly wants to see the Geraldton abattoir reopen early next year to process 1,000 sheep a day. (ABC Mid West Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis) The new owners of a mothballed ... Read more »

Blues seek ‘growth’ as pre-season begins; new Hawk aims to be AFL’s serial pest

Carlton coach Michael Voss says he and his players understand there are heightened expectations on them, but insists the Blues are ready to develop individually and in their game plan. ... Read more »

Bulldogs continue signing frenzy with swap deal

The Bulldogs’ off-season signing frenzy is set to continue with the club reportedly set to land Cronnor Tracey in a swap deal. The Sydney Morning Herald reports Tracey is expected ... Read more »

Customers to weigh in as Optus disruption comes under microscope

Consumers and impacted businesses are being urged to have their say on the Optus outage, with the federal government laying out the terms of reference for its review into the ... Read more »

Released detainee unable to be contacted by authorities

It has been revealed a released immigration detainee is unable to be contacted by authorities. Border Force has referred the matter to the Federal Police as authorities are attempting to ... Read more »
Top List in the World