Neutral outlook for NT three-month rainfall

The Northern Territory outlook for total rainfall during the early to mid-dry season (June to August), shows no strong swings in the odds towards either above-normal or below-normal rainfall. The pattern of seasonal rainfall odds across Australia is a result of recent higher than average temperatures (although with a cooling trend) in the tropical Pacific Ocean, and also in parts of the tropical and sub-tropical Indian Ocean.

If, as computer models predict, the Pacific cools to such an extent that a La Niña forms during the next few months, subsequent issues of the seasonal rainfall outlook are likely to show increased chances of above average rainfall over eastern and northern Australia.

The chances of exceeding the median rainfall for the June to August period are between 40 and 45% across most of the NT, with 45-50% chances in parts of the east and north (see map). So in years with ocean patterns like the current, about four or five June to August periods out of ten are wetter than average over the NT and five or six out of ten are drier. It should be remembered though, that the northern half of the NT is seasonally dry at this time, and significant falls of rain are uncommon.

Outlook confidence is related to how consistently the Pacific and Indian Oceans affect Australian rainfall. During June to August, history shows this influence to be moderately consistent across much of the Northern Territory (see background information).

The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) remained neutral in April with a value of −3 following the −1 in March. The approximate 30-day value as at 19th May was −2.

A large body of cool subsurface water persists in the central to eastern Pacific, thereby raising the potential for a La Niña to develop in 2007. Furthermore, computer models are predicting a La Niña to develop during winter. For routine updates and comprehensive discussion on any developments please see the ENSO Wrap-Up.

Click on the map above for a larger version of the map. Use the reload/refresh button to ensure the latest forecast map is displayed.

THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE SEASONAL OUTLOOK IS EXPECTED BY 26^th JUNE 2007

Corresponding temperature outlook

April 2007 rainfall in historical perspective

February to April 2007 rainfall in historical perspective

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/).