Issued 5 September 2005
Deficiencies eased or removed in far SE Australia
Average to above average August rainfall has eased or removed short-term rainfall deficiencies in the far southeast of the country, the Bureau of Meteorology announced today. Medium-term deficiencies in parts of central Australia were also removed or eased as a result of August rainfall totals in decile ranges 8 to 10.
6-month rainfall deficiencies
For the 6-month period from March to August, serious to severe rainfall deficiencies extend from the far southeast of South Australia across southwest and south-central Victoria to west Gippsland. The deficiencies over southern Victoria are not as extensive or intense as they were at the end of July. Above to very much above average rainfall over Tasmania for August has seen rainfall deficiencies for this period contract to a small coastal strip in the northeast of the State. This most recent period of deficient rainfall in southeastern Australia comes on top of below average to record low 8-year rainfall totals in the same region.
Click on the map for larger view
Black and white | High resolution colour
8-month rainfall deficiencies
For the 8-month period from January to August, the most significant rainfall deficiencies are located in two patches straddling the NSW/QLD border; one between Bourke (NSW) and Charleville (Qld), and the other from southeast Queensland to the Northern Tablelands of NSW. There was an expansion of the latter as a result of below average August rainfall.
Click on the map for larger view
Black and white | High resolution colour
12-month rainfall deficiencies
For the 12-month period beginning in September 2004, rainfall deficiencies are evident in the southern and central NT (with some lowest on record falls), in patches from northwest to southeast South Australia, over much of northern Tasmania and on the western NSW/QLD border.
Click on the map for larger view
Black and white | High resolution colour
Rainfall deficiency maps for longer periods indicate that deficiencies at the two to three year timescale, which are particularly relevant to water supplies, continue to be widely scattered over eastern Australia.
