Australia is a large continent containing many different climate zones, from wet tropics in the north, arid and semi-arid conditions in the interior, and alpine climates in the south-east. Each climate zone is influenced by very different large-scale, predominant weather and climate patterns. For this reason, at any time different parts of the Australian continent can be affected by very different climate extremes. An example of this occurred in 2010, where southwest Western Australia experienced its driest year on record, in contrast to the rest of Australia, which received above-average to very-much-above-average rainfall.
Use our Drought Statement, rainfall maps and reports to watch for areas with significant long and short-term rainfall deficiencies.
Issued on 5 March 2014 by the National Climate Centre
February rainfall was generally average to above average during February through northern Australia and the remainder of the mainland except along the west coast, east coast and across Victoria. As a result rainfall deficiencies have eased in western Queensland, lifting much of this area out of the lowest 10% of rainfall records for17-month and23-month periods ending February.
February rainfall was below average for southern Victoria, northern Tasmania, northeastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland. Apart from eastern New South Wales, these areas are generally not experiencing serious rainfall deficiencies at the timescales discussed in the Drought Statement, though serious shorter-term rainfall deficiencies (in the lowest 10% of records) are evident across northeastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland and smaller areas of the southeast for the6-month and3-month periods ending February.
Rainfall deficits for the17-month (October 2012 to February 2014) period have eased across western Queensland and adjacent parts of the Northern Territory. Much of the area west of a line connecting the corner of the South Australian border and Normanton, on the Gulf coast, has been elevated above the lowest 10% of records for 17-month periods ending February. Less marked easing of deficiencies also occurred in northeastern South Australia and central Queensland.
Serious to severe deficiencies (lowest 10% to 5% of records) remain in central Queensland and in an area inland of the Great Dividing Range extending from southern Queensland into northern New South Wales as well as in small areas around the Queensland–South Australian border (affecting the Northern Territory, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland) and in eastern New South Wales, western Victoria and on the coast of Western Australia near Shark Bay.
Much of Queensland more than 300 km inland of the coast, the southeast of the Northern Territory, northeast South Australia and parts of northern New South Wales have receivedless than 60% of the long-term (1961–1990) average rainfall for the 17-month period ending February. In other words, while serious and severe deficiencies have contracted and eased, rainfall has remained well below average for a significant period of time, and recent rain has not seen this situation significantly improved.
Rainfall deficiencies for the23-month (April 2012 to February 2014) period have eased significantly across western Queensland, with less pronounced easing across the east of the Northern Territory and South Australia and along the eastern border of South Australia. Deficiencies in much of western Queensland and adjacent parts of the Northern Territory, and smaller areas in northern South Australia and along the border between South Australia and Victoria and New South Wales, have risen above the lowest 10% of records.
Serious to severe deficiencies (lowest 10% to 5% of records) persist in areas of western and inland northern Queensland, a large area around the Queensland–South Australia border and smaller areas along the eastern border of South Australia, an area extending from inland southern Queensland through much of New South Wales inland of the coastal ranges and into northwestern and north-central Victoria. Deficiencies also persist in an area between Geraldton and Shark Bay on the west coast of Western Australia.
Much of southwestern and southern Queensland, inland northern New South Wales, northern South Australia and an area covering northwestern Victoria and the New South Wales Riverina have receivedless than 70% of the average rainfall for a 23-month period ending February.
Soil moisture in theupper soil layer has increased across much of eastern Australia following recent rainfall and is very much above average across southern South Australia, much of New South Wales, Queensland west of the Great Dividing Range and around the Gulf of Carpentaria. Values have moved closer to average in southwest Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, but remain below average along the coastal southwest, southern Victoria and in northern and western Tasmania. Values continue to be very much below average for a region spanning northeastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland. Soil moisture has decreased across much of the Northern Territory and Western Australia away from the west coast and is now average to above average for this area.
Lower-layer weekly soil moisture generally shows a similar pattern to early January, although increasing further (broadly very much above average) across a broad band along the northwestern coast and around the Gulf of Carpentaria and in the Goldfields District of Western Australia. Soil moisture is also above average in eastern Tasmania and along the southern coast between Esperance and western Victoria. Soil moisture is below average along the western coast of Western Australia and across the Central Wheat Belt, western Tasmania and a broad area covering the greater southeast of Queensland and eastern New South Wales.
Click on the map for full resolution.
Black and white version
Click on the map for full resolution.
Black and white version
For more information about this rainfall deficiencies statement, please contact the following climatologists:
Darren Ray (SA) (08) 8366 2664
Jeff Sabburg (Qld) (07) 3239 8660
Agata Imielska (NSW) (02) 9296 1539
Kevin Smith (Vic.) (03) 9669 4949
Karl Braganza (National) (03) 9669 4344
To subscribe to email alerts, contacthelpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au and include 'Drought Statements' in the subject line.
These maps are also available fromMaps - recent conditions
The Weekly Rainfall Update describes rainfall over the previous week. It includes a map and a summary table of the highest weekly totals. A discussion of the impact of recent rains on rainfall deficiencies is also presented.
Seasonal rainfall outlooks outline likely conditions over three-month periods.
Regional outlooks:northern Australia,south-eastern Australia,Western Australia.
Previous outlooks:Archive
Seasonal temperature outlooks outline likely conditions over three-month periods.
Regional outlooks:northern Australia,south-eastern Australia,Western Australia.
Previous outlooks:Archive
Australian streamflows are among the most variable in the world. Seasonal streamflow forecasts extends water management decision making capability. Forecasts are issued monthly.
The archive includes previous monthly, seasonal and annual climate summaries for nation-wide, state/territory and capital city conditions.
CSIRO (AWAP) Water balance maps include maps of soil moisture and water fluxes contributing to changes in soil moisture (rainfall, transpiration, soil evaporation, surface runoff and deep drainage).
An assessment of the impact of climate change on the nature and frequency of exceptional climatic events, and accompanying Supplementary Information.
2007 report by the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO on climate change across Australia, including rainfall and temperature projections for the coming decades.
National water resources assessments and real-time water availability forecasts.
The Bureau's Water and the Land website provides weather and climate information for agriculture and related industries.
(ABARES) is a research bureau within the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry aimed at Australia's primary industries.
The Monitor tool provides a range of climatic, production, biophysical and economic information.
Formal drought declarations are handled by State or Federal Government.
Administered by the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
Drought is a prolonged, abnormally dry period when the amount of available water is insufficient to meet our normal use. Drought is not simply low rainfall; if it was, much of inland Australia would be in almost perpetual drought. Because people use water in so many different ways, there is no universal definition of drought. Meteorologists monitor the extent and severity of drought in terms of rainfall deficiencies. Agriculturalists rate the impact on primary industries, hydrologists compare ground water levels, and sociologists define it by social expectations and perceptions.
An area experiences a rainfall deficit when the total rain received is less than the average rainfall for that period.
Formal drought declarations are handled by State or Federal Government.
Further details
Lowest on record - lowest since at least 1900 when the data analysed begin.
Severe deficiency - rainfalls in the lowest 5% of historical totals.
Serious deficiency - rainfalls in the lowest 10% of historical totals,but not in the lowest 5%.
Very much below average - rainfalls in the lowest 10% of historical totals.
Below average - rainfalls in the lowest 30% of historical totals, but not in the lowest 10%.
Average - rainfalls in the middle 40% of historical totals.
Above average - rainfalls in the highest 30% of historical totals, but not in the highest 10%.
Very much above average - rainfalls in the highest 10% of historical totals.
This page was created at18:20 on Friday 14 March 2014 (GMT)
©Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2014, Bureau of Meteorology (ABN 92 637 533 532) |Disclaimer |Privacy |Accessibility
