No end in sight for Australia’s dry weather — BOM

THE dry weather is set to continue.

Marma Lake at Murtoa, which could stay dry when the Wimmera Mallee pipeline comes.

THE dry weather is set to continue.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s climate scientists say a drier than normal summer is more likely over northern, eastern and central Australia.

In its latest climate outlook, the bureau said a drier than normal December was more likely over the northern half of Australia.

The chances of a wetter or drier December are roughly equal over most of southern Australia.

The summer temperature outlooks indicate a warmer than normal season for both days and nights across most of the Australian mainland, except parts of the west and southeast.

Climate influences include El Niño-like conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean, and average to cooler than average waters surrounding northern Australia.

The bureau said the tropical Pacific Ocean showed some renewed signs of El Niño development in recent weeks.

The bureau’s climate outlook model, suggests sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific will persist at values near, or just above, El Niño levels for at least the coming two to three months.

These warmer than average sea surface temperatures, combined with average to cooler than average waters surrounding parts of northern Australia, mean that a warmer and drier summer is more likely for large parts of Australia.