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Drought Statement - Issued 3rd February 2005

Statement on Drought for the 7-month period ending 31st January 2005 ISSUED 3rd February 2005 by the National Climate Centre Rainfall deficiencies intensify in the NT and northern WA The Bureau of Meteorology announced today that rainfall deficiencies intensified in the interior and north of WA, as well as the adjacent parts of the western NT, as a result of below to very much below average January rainfall. For the 7-month period from July to January, a large area of severe rainfall deficiencies straddles the WA/NT border with a significant fraction having had its driest July to January period on record. There was also an expansion of serious to severe deficiencies along the Pilbara coast in WA. In addition, a large region of deficiencies remains around Alice Springs in the southern NT, although above average falls in the southeast of the NT reduced the size of this area in comparison with the situation at the end of December. Small patches are also evident in northern South Australia, far western Queensland and northeast Tasmania. Large patches in southern and eastern Australia continue to experience deficiencies for periods longer than two years and only a prolonged period of above average rainfall will remove them. Rainfall deficiency maps for standard periods (3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months) are updated monthly on the Bureau's web site. Note: The terms used to describe rainfall in these Drought Statements have the following meanings - Serious deficiency - rainfalls in the lowest 10% of historical totals, but not in the lowest 5% Severe deficiency - rainfalls in the lowest 5% of historical totals Lowest on record - lowest since at least 1900 when the data analysed begin 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 For more information regarding this rainfall deficiencies statement, please contact the following climate meteorologists in the National Climate Centre: Grant Beard on (03) 9669 4527 Shoni Dawkins on (03) 9669 4085

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