<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now that the La Niña season is officially over, experts believe that Australia could be in store for a an </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/el-nino" rel="" target="" title="El Niño"><span>El Niño</span></a><span> episode later in the year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/bom" rel="" target="" title="Bureau of Meteorology"><span>Bureau of Meteorology</span></a><span> said that while the Pacific Ocean is in a neutral state set to last until at least late autumn, there are "strong signs that El Niño could emerge later this year".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While sea surface temperatures are currently near average at the surface of the tropical Pacific </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/ocean" rel="" target="" title="Ocean"><span>Ocean</span></a><span>, there is a large pool of abnormally warm </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/water" rel="" target="" title="water"><span>water</span></a><span> building beneath the surface," the bureau said.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-april-2-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/042b435f-0673-4c9e-b6a1-c6e0c193210b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Iran says Trump's ceasefire remarks are 'false and baseless'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This deep warm water is expected to emerge at the surface in the coming months, which increases the likelihood of El Niño."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The bureau said that most international forecast models also anticipate the conditions to emerge between late autumn and late winter before running into the second half of the year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some models have also suggested the potential for a strong or even super El Niño, however, that will not reflect the strength of its influence on Australian weather.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/experts-warn-brewing-el-nino-could-hit-australia-later-this-year/3d2dac8a-cf6e-4bb9-a368-fc35fee03c99" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An El Niño system develops when warmer-than-average water lies at the top of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and cooler-than-average water sits at the top of western tropical Pacific waters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/several-countries-on-tsunamniwatch-after-78-magnitude-earthquake-hits-indonesia/a179d8be-503f-498a-af96-25b52b5e8e14" target="_blank"><strong><span>Several countries on tsunami watch after 7.8 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The water surface temperatures play a role in wind and pressure changes in the overlying atmosphere, which act to reduce cloud and rainfall in parts of the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The forecast comes as the Bureau of Meteorology declared that the La Niña season ended on March 31.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The system began in spring last year and lasted six months, bringing above-average amounts of rain across large parts of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national" rel="" target="" title="Australia's"><span>Australia's</span></a><span> north and central regions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/richard-marles-defends-anthony-albanese-national-address/99f31161-ce4c-475f-989e-508423cf6489" target="_blank"><strong><span>Marles defends PM's no-news national address</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite bringing flooding in multiple states, the Bureau of Meteorology described the most recent La Niña episode as "relatively weak" due to the lack of wet weather it brought to some parts of the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a good reminder that no two La Niña events are the same and their impacts can vary considerably from one La Niña to the next."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>