BoM forecasts strong El Niño and warns climate change could amplify effects on Australia

El Niño events linked with extreme weather around the world – and can increase risk of bushfires in Australia and coral bleaching on Great Barrier Reef Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Bureau of Meteorology has officially declared an El Niño – the phenomenon linked to hotter and drier conditions for Australia – is now locked in place in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The bureau warned climate change would amplify the effects on Australia, including the risk of extreme heat and bushfires. In an update, the bureau said El Niño was now “underway in the tropical Pacific” because the atmosphere was now reacting to the higher than average sea surface temperatures. The east to west trade winds were weakening and pressure and cloud patterns were consistent with El Niño, the BoM said. Forecasts were pointing to a strong or very strong event, the bureau said, adding the strength did not “necessarily mean strong impacts on Australia’s climate”. The strength of El Niño events are gauged by sea surface temperatures in a specific region of the tropical Pacific and how much hotter they are than