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Autumn outlook improves
21 March 2018
The latest Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) three-month rainfall outlook for April to June is considerably more positive than the previous release.
Key points
- Late monsoonal activity brings much needed rain to parts of western Queensland.
- La Niña subsides, while other climate drivers remain neutral.
- A wetter April is more likely.
While most of Queensland suffered through a hot, dry summer, a late season weather system brought rainfall to some areas in western and northern parts of the state. For the week leading up to March 5, Longreach received 99mm, while Winton and Cloncurry have both received falls in excess of 200mm so far this month.
April
Turning to the outlook for autumn, the BOM suggests wetter than average conditions are more likely in April for much of eastern NSW, eastern and northern parts of Queensland and much of Victoria. Central and western regions of SA, and large parts of southern WA also have an increased probability of exceeding the median rainfall for the month.
May
The outlook for May is more neutral across most of Australia. Southern parts of WA and the south-east corner of the country do have a higher chance of above-average rain in May, while likelihood for the remainder of the country is roughly 50%.
More information
Find out more about the climate and water outlook for April to June 2018: watch this video from the Bureau of Meteorology.
