Australia declares strong El Nino in tropical Pacific as risks to agriculture loom
Australia’s weather bureau on Tuesday (June 16, 2026) said an El Nino event is under way in the tropical Pacific, with atmospheric indicators such as
Australia’s weather bureau on Tuesday (June 16, 2026) said an El Nino event is under way in the tropical Pacific, with atmospheric indicators such as trade winds, pressure and cloud patterns aligning with the weather phenomenon.
“Forecasts are pointing towards a strong to very strong El Nino event, based on the extent of warming in the central tropical Pacific,” the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said. El Nino is a periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean.
The weather pattern is particularly damaging to Australia as it impacts agricultural production in the country — among the world’s largest exporters of wheat, sugar
and beef. One of the strongest such patterns occurred in 2015 and 2016, triggering widespread drought and leading to reduced grain and oilseed output.
The BriefWire