El Nino to return?

[Dave]

An El Nino weather pattern may be returning. Researchers have estimated there is a 50% chance that there will be widespread drought conditions within the next year or so. The last major El Nino event occurred in Australia in the late 1990s.

It has been a dry autumn so far, we definitely need some rain soon :crying.

Full story (The Australian) (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12847353%255E30417,00.html)

[Dave]

How quickly things change :).

The latest news is that the chance of an El Nino developing this year is low.

Full story (Govt media release) (http://www.deh.gov.au/minister/ps/2005/psmr02aug05.html)

[mattweather]

Dave, El Nino is not coming for another 4 to 10 years, La Nina had been in Australia during summer. Now it seems coming back again to track us to be moderate La Nina. More thunderstorms, cyclones and rainfalls are predicting in Australia during that period.

More info: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/

We are at postive 5 atm and still increasing.

Matt Townsend