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Statement on Drought for the 4 and 12-month
periods ending 31st January 2006
ISSUED 3rd February 2006 by the National Climate Centre
Rainfall deficiencies persist in patches of eastern Australia
In the short to medium term, patches of rainfall
deficiencies persist in eastern Australia, mainly Queensland, the
Bureau of Meteorology announced today. Despite abundant monsoon rains
in the NT, northern WA and parts of far north Queensland, the first
four months of the northern wet season were very dry and hot in central
Queensland. In addition, rainfall deficiencies for the past twelve months
are evident in parts of eastern and northern Queensland, as well as around
the western border regions of Queensland and NSW.
For the 4-month period from October to January,
serious rainfall deficiencies, with patches of severe deficiencies, have
developed around Longreach and Barcaldine in central Queensland. In addition,
there are also smaller patches of deficits west of Bourke in NSW, close to
the Queensland border. To make matters worse,
temperatures
have been very high (highest on record in many cases) during this period
over the areas with rainfall deficits.
For the 12-month period from February to January,
rainfall deficiencies are evident between Bourke (NSW) and Charleville (Qld),
around Mackay on the central Queensland coast, and in smaller patches over
far northern Queensland (mainly Cape York Peninsula). A small area in far
southwest Victoria is also affected by deficiencies over this period.
Rainfall deficiency
maps for longer periods indicate that deficiencies at the
three year timescale, which are particularly relevant to water supplies,
remain prevalent in parts of eastern Australia, especially in Queensland.
Note: The terms used to describe rainfall in these
Drought Statements have the following meanings -
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
Very much 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%
Very much above average
- rainfalls in the highest 10% of historical totals
For more information regarding this rainfall
deficiencies statement, please contact the following
climate meteorologists in the National Climate Centre:
Grant Beard on (03) 9669 4527
David Jones on (03) 9669 4085
Blair Trewin on (03) 9669 4603
External Sites Relating to Drought
The Bureau of Meteorology does not make formal drought declarations
as these are done by either the relevant State Governments or by the
Australian Government. The Australian Government Program is called
Exceptional Circumstances
and it is administered by the Federal Department of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). General information about Australian
Government drought assistance is available at
http://www.daff.gov.au/droughtassist.
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