El Niño alert issued for Australia – here’s what it means for you 

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued an El Nino warning giving the expectation of warmer and drier weather in the coming months.

The move from an El Nino “watch” to an “alert” means there’s a 70 percent chance the weather will develop this year, according to BOM senior climatologist Catherine Ganter.

“While the models show it is very likely that temperatures in the tropical Pacific will reach El Nino levels during the winter, we have seen some movement in the atmosphere towards El Nino conditions,” said Ms Ganter .

“While our El Nino warning criteria have been met, these changes will need to strengthen and sustain over an extended period of time before we can consider an El Nino event.”

Farmers continue to struggle as NSW suffers worst drought ever (stock image)

El Nino affects much of eastern Australia, bringing both dry weather and warmer-than-usual temperatures to the south of two-thirds of the country.

It also carries an increased risk of extreme heat across much of the country and an increased risk of bushfires in southeastern Australia.

The BOM’s long-term forecast for winter includes drier and warmer conditions ‘almost all of Australia’, according to Ms Ganter.

“The long-term winter forecast also shows an increased chance of below-average rainfall for almost all of Australia and the transition to El Nino ‘alert’ does not change this forecast,” she said.

Australia was previously in the throes of La Nina with heavy rainfall recorded from late 2020 to mid 2022 (stock image)

The opposite weather pattern to El Nino, La Nina, has gripped Australia for the past three years, with cooler and wetter weather to the southeast.

The La Ninas from late 2020 to mid-2022 were stronger and longer than those in the past, bringing record rainfall and widespread flooding.

More to come.