How does El Nino affect Australia?
El Nino usually brings drier and warmer conditions to eastern and northern Australia, increasing the risk of drought and bushfires. It occurs when the central and eastern Pacific Ocean becomes warmer than usual.
El Nino is part of a natural climate cycle called the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. Its opposite phase, La Nina, usually brings wetter conditions to eastern Australia.
During El Nino, trade winds weaken, and warm water shifts toward the eastern Pacific. Rainfall patterns change, reducing rain over much of Australia.
Impacts
El Nino years have been linked to severe droughts, such as parts of the Millennium Drought. They can affect farmers, water supplies and fire risk.
El Nino can also bring warmer days and reduced snowfall in the Australian Alps. However, not every El Nino causes drought, and other climate drivers, such as the Indian Ocean Dipole, also affect Australia's weather.
The Bureau of Meteorology monitors ocean temperatures and winds to forecast El Nino and La Nina events. These forecasts help farmers and communities plan ahead.
The names come from Spanish, with El Nino referring to the Christ child, because South American fishermen noticed the warm water around Christmas.