The Bureau of Meteorology says there is now a 70 per cent chance of an El Nino developing later this year.

The pattern generally leads to below average rain.

However, the Bureau of Meteorology’s shorter term seasonal outlooks predict a wetter few months before an El Nino might take hold from around June.

Bureau climatologist Dr Andrew Watkins said El Ninos do not always mean drought.

“For instance, the 1997-98 El Nino was considered by scientists as being the strongest one we’ve ever seen,” he said.

“For Australia, though, it had relatively mild impacts, and in fact we saw stronger impacts, say, in the El Nino of 2006-07, which actually was a relatively weak event.

“So you’re not guaranteed less rain just because of an El Nino, but it does increase the odds.”

– Weatherzone/ABC