No Change Of Australia Avoiding El Nino - Continuing Drought Likely

[hatrack]

The National Climate Centre (NCC) has confirmed the chances of Australia avoiding the grip of an El Nino weather pattern this spring are virtually nil. The prospect of hotter and drier conditions, particularly in south-eastern Australia, is dire news for farmers.

Near record temperatures have gripped much of Australia during September, and the south-east corner has recorded the most significant changes.

But at this stage climatologists say this El Nino is not looking as bad as the last one four years ago. The NCC says all the signs of an El Nino are here - and Australians should brace for hot conditions over the summer months.

NCC spokesman Grant Beard says there is little chance of the current El Nino pattern dissipating. "If the development doesn't continue, if there's a sudden turnaround in patterns across the Pacific, well then we would probably fall short of declaring this or recognising this - in hindsight - as an event," he said.

"But even if that did occur, the fact that we have high temperatures over the Pacific and low values of the SOI , that means that the Australian climate, particularly the east of the country, is bias towards being warmer and drier than average for the rest of this year."

EDIT

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1754762.htm