Expecting a hot dry summer? Forecasters are saying El Niño is happening

17 Aug 2023

by Brett Mulhall

What is El Niño?
The Pacific Ocean undergoes cyclic changes which have been labelled in Spanish many years ago as El Niño and La Niña. The two phases result from the ocean and atmosphere interacting with each other all the time and causing longer term weather patterns. It's not a new thing and proven by the names which are attributed to South American fishermen many years ago. They noticed different, non-seasonal weather patterns over time. The patterns, even in neutral states, result in the Pacific Ocean's temperatures varying from east to west. For instance, the tropical Pacific's western 'warm pool' has world-leading warm ocean temperatures. These are part of the reason that Australia experiences more than just the regular 4 seasons and we sometimes have hot years or periods, dryer years and wet spells that seem to go on for a year or more.

We are on the verge of El Niño
With the El Niño phase, the central and eastern tropical Pacific experiences abnormal warmth. This results in the weakening of the trade winds, which typically blow from the east to the west across the Pacific. Interestingly, the effect compounds itself.
The strength of these trade winds and the distribution of warm water play a pivotal role in daily weather systems. Moist clouds, fueled by the ascending warm air over the eastern Pacific, will bring rainfall to regions in South America. Lucky them.
By contrast, for Australia this means colder than normal adjacent sea waters and changes the wind patterns such that the east coast experiences reduced rainfall.
If you have not glazed over by now then let's skip to the part about what it means for you.

El Niño causes Australian east coast to experience:
- Warmer-than-average temperatures
- Less rain
- Greater bush fire danger
- Fewer tropical cyclones, and fewer crossing the coast
- Later onset of the Monsoon, if you live in the far north

With El Niño and an outlook of hot dryer temperatures and the things that flow from this like lower Australian dam levels, we will be looking in coming weeks at the various plumbing related things to be aware of. For all your plumbing and gas problems, rain, hail or El Niño call on the 5 star Brisbane wide plumbing and gas professionals at Aptus Plumbing and Gas.

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