Drought Statement - Issued 3rd July 2002

MEDIA RELEASE - ISSUED 3rd JULY 2002 Statement on Drought for the 7 and 5-month periods ending 30th June 2002 Some relief but rainfall deficiencies remain widespread The Bureau of Meteorology announced today that well above average June rainfall removed or eased short-term rainfall deficiencies in eastern Queensland and western Tasmania. However, areas with pre-existing rainfall deificiencies generally experienced below average falls in June, most notably in the southwest of WA where rainfall deficiencies have developed for the third successive year. For the seven-month period from December to June, a region of serious to severe rainfall deficiency exists along the eastern border of South Australia with both Victoria and NSW, and then follows the NSW/Queensland border to the coast. Other pockets are evident in Queensland near Birdsville, Longreach and between Cooktown and Townsville, and in the NT along the north coast. For the five-month period from February to June, rainfall deficiencies intensified across parts of western and southern WA, but there was relief from heavy rain in both western Tasmania and the Queensland coastal strip from Mackay to Brisbane. Also experiencing rainfall deficiencies for this period were central and southeast SA, western Victoria, northern and eastern Tasmania, and parts of western and central Queensland. 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 - Well 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% Well above average - rainfalls in the highest 10% of historical totals 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 For more information regarding this rainfall deficiencies statement, please contact the following climate meteorologists during normal business hours (EST) Monday to Friday: Grant Beard on (03) 9669 4527 Robert Fawcett on (03) 9669 4296

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