HOW DOES THE EL NIÑO – SOUTHERN OSCILLATION AFFECT AUSTRALIA?
Rainfall, averaged across Australia, is closely related to the El Nio – Southern Oscillation. The figure above shows Australian average rainfall and the SOI. Rainfall is greater in years when the SOI is large and positive (La Nia events). El Nio years (when the SOI is strongly negative) are usually years of drought over much of Australia. The effects of the El Nio – Southern Oscillation on Australian climate flow through into agriculture. The average yield (per hectare) of Australian wheat is closely related to the SOI, as with the case with many other crops. This figure shows the changes in wheat yield and the SOI from year-to-year. When the SOI increases, so does wheat yield. The strong effects of the El Nio – Southern Oscillation on Australian climate, not surprisingly, also have an impact on native vegetation and wildlife. Much of Australia’s wildlife is adapted to the variable climate caused by the El Nio – Southern Oscillation. And El Nio events seem to trigger activities such as
