Australia declares El Niño as Pacific warms sharply (opens in new tab)

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said June 16 that El Niño is underway in the tropical Pacific after sea surface temperatures rose above thresholds and atmospheric indicators, including trade winds, pressure and cloud patterns, aligned with the climate pattern. The bureau said forecasts point to a strong to very strong event. About half of models indicate a peak among the highest observed since 1950, but the bureau said a strong event does not necessarily produce strong impacts in Australia....