{"id":329901,"date":"2023-03-14T18:33:20","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T08:33:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=329901"},"modified":"2023-03-14T19:22:58","modified_gmt":"2023-03-14T09:22:58","slug":"la-nina-is-officially-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2023\/03\/14\/la-nina-is-officially-over\/","title":{"rendered":"La Ni\u00f1a Is Officially Over"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Bureau of Meteorology (Technical Lead Extended Prediction) Dr Andrew Watkins says the tropical Pacific Ocean is now in a neutral phase (Photo: BOM)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

March 14, 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bureau of Meteorology has formally declared the latest La Ni\u00f1a is over.<\/p>\n

The tropical Pacific Ocean is now in a neutral phase, neither La Ni\u00f1a nor El Ni\u00f1o.<\/p>\n

However, BOM has moved its status to El Ni\u00f1o WATCH as there are there are some signs of an El Ni\u00f1o forming later in the year.<\/p>\n

El Ni\u00f1o WATCH means there is a 50 per cent chance of an El Ni\u00f1o occurring in 2023.<\/p>\n

BOM spokesperson Dr Andrew Watkins said after three years of La Ni\u00f1a and record-breaking rainfall in eastern Australia, the long-range forecast was for drier-than-average conditions for most of Australia over coming months.<\/p>\n

“Long-range forecasts show there’s an increased chance of below average rainfall for most of Australia during autumn 2023,” Dr Watkins said. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

“But the northern wet season, including the tropical cyclone season, for northern Australia continues during March and April, so there remains the chance of tropical weather systems bringing heavy rain at times to the north.”<\/p>\n

If these tropical weather systems extended south, there remained the possibility of periods of heavy rainfall and flooding, particularly in parts of eastern Australia where soils remain wet and rivers and dams were still full.<\/p>\n

Dr Watkins said if the chance of an El Ni\u00f1o forming later in 2023 increased to about 70 per cent, BOM would change to El Ni\u00f1o ALERT status.<\/p>\n

“Even if El Ni\u00f1o impacts Australia, this does not necessarily lead to drought,” he said.<\/p>\n

“There have been 27 El Ni\u00f1o years since 1900, and around 18 of those years were affected by widespread winter-spring drought.”<\/p>\n