El Nino summer Australia: Scorching hot temperatures and devastating bushfires likely to hit Australia by the end of the year
El Nino summer Australia: Scorching hot temperatures and devastating bushfires likely to hit Australia by the end of the year
- El Nino weather events will affect Australia
- Scorching temperatures and fires are coming
Australia remains wary of an El Nino weather event with a high chance of a sweltering summer ahead.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) continued its El Nino warning in August, with not yet the right conditions for the organization to call the event beyond doubt.
“When El Nino warning criteria have been met in the past, an El Nino event has developed about 70 percent of the time,” the BOM said.
Australia remains wary of an El Nino weather event with a high chance of a sweltering summer ahead
Despite Australia not yet at El Nino, there are already warnings about how hot next summer will be from ANU climatologist Professor Janette Lindesay
“Whether or not it happens, it remains very likely that spring and summer temperatures will be above average in eastern and south-east Australia, and the scales are pointing to a drier spring/summer than our recent experience,” she said.
The conditions could provide the extra warmth needed for a horror wildfire season.
“These conditions are cause for concern regarding the upcoming bushfire season in the East, South and Southeast (which could start earlier than usual), where recent wetter years have contributed to significant vegetation growth and a potentially dangerous fuel load in warm, dry weather.” said Professor Lindesay.
The conditions could provide the extra warmth needed for a horror wildfire season
To call an El Nino event, thresholds for temperature and atmospheric conditions must be met.
Sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific are currently exceeding thresholds and are expected to remain at that level through the end of the year.
Meanwhile, according to the BOM, the atmosphere is not yet at El Nino levels, with wind, cloud and pressure patterns currently in a more neutral position.
“This means that the Pacific Ocean and the atmosphere are not yet fully coupled, as happens during El Nino events,” the BOM’s latest statement said.
Australia continues to ‘get drier and drier’ according to former Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner and Climate Council Councilor Greg Mullins, who says ‘we are in for a bad year’.
“I’m not a gambler, but if I were a gambler I’d say we’re going to have big fires this year,” he said at the Climate Council’s El Nino press briefing in July.
According to Mr Mullins, La Nina’s three years of rain have created excellent conditions for fires.
“We are getting a lot of grass growth in areas where biofuel is not normally available,” he said.
“The plants are a few inches apart. You can’t walk through them. It’s so freaking thick.”