Warmer in north & east, cooler in parts of west & south

The temperature outlook for the February to April period shows contrasting odds across the country: warmer than average conditions are favoured across much of northern and eastern Australia, while a cooler than normal three-month period is more likely for parts of the west and south.

The pattern of seasonal temperature odds across Australia is due to higher than average temperatures in both the Pacific and Indian Oceans, with the effect from the Pacific being dominant. Averaged over the coming three months, the chances are mainly between 60 and 80% for higher than normal maximum temperatures northeast of a line from Derby in northwest WA to Sydney. Within this region, the chances peak above 80% in eastern Arnhem Land and in an area of north Queensland surrounding the east coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria (see map). So in years with ocean patterns like the current, about six to eight February to April periods out of every ten are expected to be hotter than average in these parts of northern and eastern Australia, with about two to four out of ten being cooler. Contrasting this, there are 60 to 65% chances (i.e. 35 to 40% chances of higher than average) for a cooler than normal February to April period in a band stretching from the interior of WA, across western and southern SA to central Victoria. A few patches across Tasmania also have similar probabilities. Outlook confidence is related to how consistently the Pacific and Indian Oceans affect Australian temperatures. During the February to April period, history shows this effect on maximum temperatures to be moderately consistent over Queensland, the northern NT, central WA and patches in SA, Victoria, NSW and Tasmania. In western WA and in a band from the southern NT to most of NSW, the effect is only weak or very weak (see background information). The chances of seasonal minimum temperatures being higher than the median are between 60 and 80% over most of the northern tropics, indicating a moderate to strong shift in the odds towards warmer than normal conditions. In contrast, cooler than average nights (i.e. a 30 to 40% chance for warmer than normal) are favoured in the southeast of the mainland. History shows the oceans' effect on minimum temperatures during the February to April period to be moderately consistent over large parts of the country.

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Regional versions of this media release are available: | Qld | NSW | Vic | Tas | SA | WA | NT |

Regional commentary is available from the Climate Services Centres in the Bureau's Regional Offices:

THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE SEASONAL OUTLOOK IS EXPECTED BY 22^nd FEBRUARY 2007

Corresponding rainfall outlook

Maximum temperature departures from average for October to December 2006 - base period 1961-1990

Minimum temperature departures from average for October to December 2006 - base period 1961-1990

Background Information

• The Bureau's seasonal outlooks are general statements about the probability or risk of wetter or drier than average weather over a three-month period. The outlooks are based on the statistics of chance (the odds) taken from Australian rainfall/temperatures and sea surface temperature records for the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are not, however, categorical predictions about future rainfall, and they are not about rainfall within individual months of the three-month outlook period. The temperature outlooks are for the average maximum and minimum temperatures for the entire three-month outlook period. Information about whether individual days or weeks may be unusually hot or cold, is unavailable.

• This outlook is a summary. More detail is available from the contact people or from SILO (www.bom.gov.au/silo/products/SClimate.shtml).

• Probability outlooks should not be used as if they were categorical forecasts. More on probabilities is contained in the booklet The Seasonal Climate Outlook - What it is and how to use it, available from the National Climate Centre. These outlooks should be used as a tool in risk management and decision making. The benefits accrue from long-term use, say over 10 years. At any given time, the probabilities may seem inaccurate, but taken over several years, the advantages of taking account of the risks should outweigh the disadvantages. For more information on the use of probabilities, farmers could contact their local departments of agriculture or primary industry.

• Model Consistency and Outlook Confidence: Strong consistency means that tests of the model on historical data show a high correlation between the most likely outlook category (above/below median) and the verifying observation (above/below median). In this situation relatively high confidence can be placed in the outlook probabilities. Low consistency means the historical relationship, and therefore outlook confidence, is weak. In the places and seasons where the outlooks are most skilful, the category of the eventual outcome (above or below median) is consistent with the category favoured in the outlook about 75% of the time. In the least skilful areas, the outlooks perform no better than random chance or guessing. The rainfall outlooks perform best in eastern and northern Australia between July and January, but are less useful in autumn and in the west of the continent. The skill at predicting seasonal maximum temperature peaks in early winter and drops off marginally during the second half of the year. The lowest point in skill occurs in early autumn. The skill at predicting seasonal minimum temperature peaks in late autumn and again in mid-spring. There are also two distinct periods when the skill is lowest - namely late summer and mid-winter. However, it must always be remembered that the outlooks are statements of chance or risk. For example, if you were told there was a 50:50 chance of a horse winning a race but it ran second, the original assessment of a 50:50 chance could still have been correct.

• The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is calculated using the barometric pressure difference between Tahiti and Darwin. The SOI is one indicator of the stage of El Niño or La Niña events in the tropical Pacific Ocean. It is best considered in conjunction with sea-surface temperatures, which form the basis of the outlooks. A moderate to strongly negative SOI (persistently below –10) is usually characteristic of El Niño, which is often associated with below average rainfall over eastern Australia, and a weaker than normal monsoon in the north. A moderate to strongly positive SOI (persistently above +10) is usually characteristic of La Niña, which is often associated with above average rainfall over parts of tropical and eastern Australia, and an earlier than normal start to the northern monsoon season. The Australian impacts of 23 El Niño events since 1900 are summarized on the Bureau's web site (www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/).