Bushfire Risk Increases as El Niño Weather Event is Officially Declared

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has officially confirmed on Sept. 19 that Australia is currently experiencing the El Niño weather event and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), leading to predictions of warmer and drier conditions for two-thirds of the country during the Spring and Summer seasons. This, in turn, raises the risk of bushfires.
According to Karl Braganza, BoM’s climate manager, both El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) typically result in reduced rainfall in Australia. Mr. Braganza explained, “During the spring period, the combined impact of these two weather phenomena can amplify the likelihood of below average rainfall across much of the country and higher temperatures in the southern two-thirds of Australia.”



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