Rainfall deficiencies expand in eastern Australia

Severe rainfall deficiencies have expanded across parts of New South Wales and in northern and western Victoria for the 5 month (August to December 2012), period with severe deficiencies also developing along Queensland's east coast and adjacent ranges. Severe rainfall deficiencies persist across most of South Australia and in southern Queensland. This follows below average rainfall across eastern Queensland, central and northwestern New South Wales in December, and persistent dry conditions over southeast Australia since August. In the Northern Territory, a poor start to the monsoon has seen severe rainfall deficiencies emerge along the northeast coast of Arnhem Land.

For the 9-month period from April to December 2012, severe rainfall deficiencies remain across large parts of South Australia. Serious to severe deficiencies have expanded slightly along the western New South Wales/Victoria border following average to below-average December rain in those areas. Pockets of severe rainfall deficiencies have also emerged in far northern Queensland. In Western Australia, the sixth-wettest December in southwest WA (southwest of a line from Jurien Bay to Bremer Bay) and above-average December rainfall in the Eucla has eased deficiencies in these regions, although severe deficiencies remain in an area near the border with South Australia.