The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has confirmed Australia’s third consecutive La Niña is officially over.
The most recent La Niña event was declared at the end of 2022, and brought increased rainfall and flooding to Australia. It also led to record levels of rain in Sydney.
The context
The BOM is now forecasting a 50% chance of an El Niño weather event developing later this year.
This weather event is usually characterised by reduced rainfall and warmer temperatures. It also results in greater fire danger risks in southeast Australia.
An El Niño event occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become significantly warmer than average.
