Sea surface temperature observations from the past two weeks suggest that El Niño could be rapidly emerging in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
Weatherzone reports computer models have been hinting at the possibility of a 2026 El Niño event for the past three months, with the Bureau’s modelling predicting in January that El Niño could develop by winter.
Ocean temperatures inside the key monitoring region for El Niño have warmed rapidly this month, rising by 0.5°C in the last two weeks and 0.3°C in just one week while the atmosphere is also starting to show signs of an El Nino pattern.
Meteorologist Ben Domensino says it’s too early to say that El Niño has arrived, but the ocean and atmosphere are showing clear signs that it could be rapidly emerging as we head into the final month of autumn.
El Nino typically means reduced rainfall and warmer temperatures during the winter-spring period.
