(Dow Jones) -- The El Nino weather phenomenon remains near its peak with indicators suggesting that it will start to decline in 2016, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said Tuesday.
"Sea surface temperatures and cloud patterns near the Date Line remain well in excess of El Nino thresholds. Below-surface ocean temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific remain significantly warmer than average, but clearly some cooling has occurred in the past fortnight," the weather bureau said in its fortnightly update. Sea surface temperatures are important as these temperatures play a significant role in maintaining the strength and longevity of El Nino events.
El Nino occurs when winds in the equatorial Pacific slow down or reverse direction. That warms water over a vast area, which in turn can upend weather around the world. The severity of the phenomenon is measured by ocean temperatures and atmospheric convection activities. The phenomenon typically reduces rainfall across parts of southeast and southern Asia, and brings precipitation to the western U.S. and parts of South America.
El Niño events can lead to severe drought in parts of Southeast Asia and heavy flooding in North America, all of which cause challenges for farmers.
The weather pattern's influence on Australian rainfall is variable at this time of year, with both wetter and drier summers observed in past events depending on how quickly the event breaks down, said the weather bureau.