“Some third-party sources and media outlets have suggested that the east coast of Australia is experiencing a third La Niña. This reporting does not reflect the complexity of Australia’s climate and is not entirely accurate,” said BOM.
It looks like it will be a wet spring according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) who says there’s an increased chance of another La Nina weather system.
BOM has moved their ‘La Nina Watch’ to ‘La Nina Alert’ after they said there is three times the normal risk of getting one this upcoming spring.
In the past, anytime this update has been made the weather system ended up developing over 70 per cent of the time.
Two thirds of Australia’s east coast will be in the firing line with above average rainfall expected for the months of September, October, and November, meaning there will also be a greater risk of flooding according to BOM.
“This rainfall outlook is of great importance to communities in eastern Australia given the increased risk of flood following above average rainfall for the past few months and above average soil moisture levels,” they said.
Australia has already seen a La Nina this year with Queensland and New South Wales heavily affected by the weather system which saw flooding, strong winds and the destruction of homes and lives earlier this year.
In total 22 people lost their lives across QLD and NSW with many caught in flood waters.
BOM has urged the public to be extra vigilant this coming spring and to abide by the old rule of “if it’s flooded, forget it” because of how severe the effects of the phenomenon can be.
The term La Nina means “the girl” in Spanish and is the opposite of a El Nino says BOM.
“La Niña refers to changes in sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean, with waters in the eastern Pacific being cooler than normal, and waters in the western tropical Pacific being warmer than normal.
“Trade winds strengthen, increasing the water moisture in the air, which usually brings rainfall to eastern and central Australia and a wetter start to the northern wet season.”
