Weather News

Wet Christmas tipped as El Nino goes missing

Territorians can still expect two or three cyclones to form this wet season. - Audience submitted

The weather bureau says the wet season is likely to arrive earlier than expected in the Northern Territory after a big change in Australia's summer forecast.

In the biggest turnaround in weather patterns since records began, the bureau is no longer predicting an El Nino event, which brings drought-like conditions.

Forecaster Joel Lisonbee says it won't make a big difference to the Territory's weather but it will be a more "average" season than expected.

"Based on the forecast of a developing El Nino, we expected the monsoon to onset just a little bit late," he said.

"But now that we are seeing things go back towards the average, we are expecting more of an average onset, which is right around the week of Christmas for us, late December."

Mr Lisonbee says Territorians can still expect two or three cyclones to form this wet season.


- ABC

© ABC 2012

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