A rainfall outlook month for the next three months shaded in dark brown from coast to coast has contributed to a widespread sense that huge parts of Australia have already plunged back into serious drought.
But, while the chances of an El Nino developing later this year are indeed high, other maps show that seasonal conditions across many areas of the country are still in fair shape after three La Nina years.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest forecasts point to a 70 percent chance of an El Niño developing later this year.
An El Nino pattern is typically associated with reduced…