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.