Issued on 11 July 2000
Rainfall deficiencies persist
The Bureau of Meteorology's Deputy Director (Services), Dr Geoff Love, said today that there was some development of short term rainfall deficiencies in the southwest of Western Australia, the east of Tasmania and southeast Queensland following below average June rainfall. However, there was little if any change in the pattern of long-term deficiencies dating from late 1996.
5-month rainfall deficiencies
Below to very much below average rainfall in June across much of southern Australia has resulted in some worsening of existing rainfall deficiencies in southern Victoria and southeastern Tasmania, noted over the 15 months since April 1999. An area around Burnie in northern Tasmania is also affected.
The below average June rainfall has also contributed to the development of rainfall deficiencies for the 5-month period ending 30/06/2000. The areas affected are in southwest Western Australia and southeastern Queensland (see first map below). Much of eastern Tasmania has also experienced low rainfall over this shorter period.
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45-month rainfall deficiencies
The 45 months from October 1996 to June 2000 (see second map below) have been very dry in an area extending from the southern Eyre Peninsula in South Australia to Sale in eastern Victoria, and also in northern and eastern Tasmania. In some of these regions the rainfall has been lowest on record for such a period. Also, relatively small areas on the Queensland coast between Rockhampton and Bundaberg have serious rainfall deficiencies for this 45-month period.
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