Drought
Rainfall deficiencies and water availability

An exceptionally wet September following a wet winter

Rainfall has been above average over most of the country in each month since May 2016; the Northern Territory and every State except Western Australia have had their wettest or second-wettest May–September period on record. As a result, only a few patches in northern Australia are currently experiencing significant rainfall deficiencies over periods of 12 months or less.

September 2016 was a very wet month. Monthly rainfall totals were the highest on record for September across large areas of the Northern Territory, the eastern mainland States, and eastern South Australia. A Special Climate Statement will be issued shortly discussing the exceptionally wet September.

Rainfall for the month was below average for large areas of the western half of Western Australia and some areas of the western Kimberley, and also for an area of southwestern Tasmania.

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Soil moisture

Soil moisture in the lower layer (from 10 cm to 100 cm deep) remains above average over most of the country.

Soil moisture for September was above average over much of Australia, and near record high for western and central Queensland and across large parts of New South Wales west of the Great Dividing Range.

Soil moisture for the month was generally near average for parts of the Western Australia between the Gascoyne and Eucla and much of the southwest. Lower layer soil moisture was also near average for central southern South Australia, an area of coastal southeast Queensland, and parts of northeast and southwestern Tasmania.

• September was exceptionally wet for much of Australia - a Special Climate Statement will be issued shortly
• Lower layer soil moisture for September was above average over most of Australia