DRY FORECAST FOR LARGE AREAS OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA: El Nino strengthens its grip

摘要

LARGE areas in eastern Australia are likely to be significantly drier than normal during winter and spring, according to the latest forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology. Australia is now in an El Nino cycle. The El Nino strengthened during May withthe Southern Oscillation Index plummeting from -16.2 to -24.8, and sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific warming substantially. Average rains fell over most of southern Australia with above to very much above-average rain in the north of the country.