Joyce warns of weather 'double whammy'

Federal agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce says he is hoping and praying with farmers that a "double whammy" of weather events doesn't lead to an abnormally dry spell.

A record El Nino and strengthening Indian Ocean temperatures are threatening to bring higher than normal warmth to southeast Australia and less than average rain.

"These two things combined, unfortunately, create a double whammy but it's not a certainty that it's dry, it's a probability that it's dry," Mr Joyce told ABC TV on Tuesday.