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Statement on Drought for the 5 and 12-month
periods ending 28th February 2006
ISSUED 7th March 2006 by the National Climate Centre
Rainfall deficiencies persist in small areas 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 some well above average
falls in parts of WA and the NT, the first five 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 and in southern Victoria.
For the 5-month period from October to February,
serious rainfall deficiencies, with patches of severe deficiencies, are
scattered through Queensland, with the most extensive being around Mackay
and east and south of Hughenden. Small areas of deficiencies have also
developed around Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula. 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 March to February,
rainfall deficiencies are evident in southern Victoria from the Latrobe
Valley west to the South Australian border, with an area of severe
deficiencies around Portland. There are also scattered areas of
deficiencies through Queensland, particularly around Mackay and Rockhampton,
east and south of Hughenden, and in the southern half of the Cape York
Peninsula. A smaller but severe area of deficiency exists in far southwest
Queensland, west of Cunnamulla.
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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