The surface temperature of the tropical Pacific has risen to exceed the thresholds of the weather phenomenon known as El Niño, which causes periods of extreme drought in Asia and Oceania. This would be particularly worrying in the case of Australia, one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, sugar, and beef, in the most densely populated region on the planet. An El Niño event already occurred in 2015 and 2016, causing widespread drought and reducing cereal production, but this event, which is now beginning, is expected to be the strongest since 1950, according to forecast models.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported in a statement (reported by Reuters) that "Forecasts point to a strong to very strong El Niño event, based on the magnitude of warming in the central tropical Pacific. Around half of the models indicate that this event could peak at levels among the highest observed since 1950."