With El Niño waiting in the wings what's in store for Australia's winter season?
Australia's winter is expected to be unusually warm with below-average rainfall in some regions, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. An El Niño climate pattern is likely to develop, but predictions indicate that extreme dryness is not anticipated. The forecast suggests warmer-than-normal temperatures for both day and night across most of the country.
- ▪The Bureau of Meteorology predicts an unusually warm winter across Australia.
- ▪Rainfall is expected to be below average in the south-west and south-east regions.
- ▪Despite the likelihood of an El Niño, extreme dryness is not forecast for this winter.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
BOM winter forecast predicts unusually warm season as El Niño increasingly likelyBy weather reporter Tyne LoganTopic:WeatherThu 21 May 2026 at 4:55amThu 21 May 2026 at 4:55amThu 21 May 2026 at 4:55amWinter is expected to be warmer than average for most of Australia, but rainfall is not forecast to be extreme. (Facebook: Violetta Kara/Weather Obsessed)In short:Winter is forecast to be unusually warm in Australia with below-average rainfall for some areas.An El Niño looks increasingly likely to develop over the coming months.What's next?BOM says both the ocean and the atmosphere need to reach certain thresholds for the climate driver to be declared.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).