Weekly Rainfall Update
for 7 days to 9am 30 April 2013

Weekly Rainfall Map

larger colour map with place names | b/w map | larger b/w map with place names
WA | NT | Qld | NSW/ACT | Vic | SA | Tas
map information | quality control information

Table of Highest Weekly Totals

State Weekly Rainfall Bulletins (updated daily):

Northern WA | Southern WA | NT | Queensland | NSW/ACT | Victoria | SA | Tasmania

The table above lists the highest rainfall totals for each state and territory for the past week. These are based on real-time rainfall reports, and only limited quality control has been performed on the data. Rainfall district names are given in parentheses. Please also note that some station names have been shortened by taking away words such as post office and airport. To view a map of the Bureau of Meteorology rainfall districts click here.

In creating the weekly rainfall map, the rainfall recorded at sites across Australia is analysed onto grids and diplayed as a map. In data-rich areas, such as southeast Australia, or in regions with strong rainfall gradients, such as across mountain ranges, "data smoothing" may occur, resulting in gridpoint values differing from the exact rainfall amounts measured at the contributing stations.

Commentary on Recent Rainfall

For the week ending 30 April 2013 a high pressure ridge brought dry weather to much of mainland Australia. Cold fronts produced rain in western Tasmania throughout the week and in southern Australia at the end of the week, with isolated storms producing patchy rain in northern Australia throughout the week.

Falls greater than 25 mm were recorded across western Tasmania and in the Cairns region of Queensland, with isolated heavy falls in northwest WA. The highest weekly rainfall total was 162 mm, recorded at Mt Read in Tasmania.

Falls of between 5 and 25 mm were recorded in parts of eastern Queensland and along the south coast of Australia including southern SA. Falls greater than 5 mm were also recorded in southeast NSW and in parts of the Pilbara region of WA and the central west NT. The majority of mainland Australia and eastern Tasmania recorded little or no rainfall during the week.

Impact of Recent Rainfall on Deficits

The Drought Statement, issued on 4 April 2013, discusses rainfall deficits over Australia for the 12-month and 8-month periods ending 31 March 2013. The rainfall deficit maps are available for the 8-month and 12-month period and for standard periods.

The maps below show the percentage of mean rainfall that has been received for the rainfall deficit period for the 12-month and 8-month periods ending 30 April 2013. Only the areas that experienced serious or severe rainfall deficiencies for the corresponding period ending 31 March 2013 are analysed, the rest of the map is masked in grey shading.

Rainfall to date for 8-month period	Rainfall to date for 12-month period

Rainfall for period 1 August 2012 to 30 April 2013

For the period 1 August 2012 to 30 April 2013, 8-month rainfall deficiencies remain similar to last week. Most of southern SA and western Victoria have recorded between 30 and 70% of normal rainfall for this period, with between 30 and 60% of normal rainfall in parts of central Queensland.

Rainfall for period 1 April 2012 to 30 April 2013

For the period 1 April 2012 to 30 April 2013, 12-month rainfall deficiencies remain similar to last week, with some strengthening in the NSW–SA border region. Most of pastoral SA and adjoining areas of WA, northwestern Victoria and southwestern NSW have recorded between 30 and 60% of normal rainfall for this period.

Please Note: The Australian Bureau of Meteorology is not responsible for drought declarations. Drought declarations are the responsibility of the State Governments, and take account of other factors in addition to recent rainfall patterns. Some links to state government departmental web sites are given in the right hand column.