Following the warmest winter on record, Australia is set to experience a dry spring according to the 2018 Spring Outlook released by the Bureau of Meteorology. 

In the coming three months, the weather will be warmer and drier than the average conditions with below-average rainfalls. 

The outlook expects strong chances of above 80 per cent of drier-than-average seasons in the southern NSW, Victoria, and southwest WA. 

In addition, it expects strong chances of above 80 per cent of warmer-than-average temperate in the north and west of Australia. 

“These regions need a lot of rain to break the current drought,” Bureau of Meteorology manager of long range forecasting Dr Andrew Watkins said. 

“Unfortunately, our outlooks show odds favouring a drier and warmer than average spring for many areas,” he added. 

Further, even though the El-Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is at a neutral phase, its outlook is currently at ‘El Nino Watch’ with the chances of El Nino at 50 per cent in the coming spring. 

“Traditionally El Nino events result in warmer and drier than average conditions across eastern Australia,” Dr Watkins said. 

“However, it is important to remember that the strength of an El Nino event doesn’t always translate into the conditions we see,” he added. 

In the 2018 winter, Australia experienced among the top five warmest winters on record in terms of the maximum temperate. 

Moreover, the winter rainfall has been below average throughout the majority of Australia, including eastern Australia, northwest WA, central Australia, eastern SA, and southern WA. 

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