East Australian spring rainfall during strong El Niño events

El Niño is typically associated with less than average spring rainfall in east Australia, making it a good source of seasonal climate prediction. By focusing on strong El Niño events, this thesis examined why drought was caused in some events, but not others. We found the timing, strength and pattern of El Niño; the temperature of the ocean surface off the northeast coast of Australia; and the way in which the atmosphere leads to rainfall on a seasonal timescale all contributed to the differences. This work can help improve seasonal forecasts, and therefore planning, during future strong El Niño events.