Drought

For the week to 11 July 2017, rainfall was recorded in the South West Land Division and southwest Gascoyne in Western Australia, southern and southeastern South Australia, Victoria, southeastern New South Wales, and in Tasmania. Rainfall was also recorded in the central interior of the Northern Territory; also in western, central and southeastern Queensland.

At the start of the week, a surface trough extended from the southern coast of South Australia to Tasmania. Embedded low pressure systems on the surface trough located south of Mount Gambier in South Australia and southwest of Tasmania produced moderate falls in southern South Australia, parts of northwest Victoria, southeastern New South Wales and western Tasmania. Widespread light falls were reported across large areas of Tasmania; also western and central Victoria.  A complex area of low pressure developed south of Tasmania, and directed further moderate falls onto the State’s west coast. A surface trough located through inland Queensland produced showers with light to moderate falls recorded in southeast Queensland at the start and end of the week.

In the north, a slow-moving surface trough extended from the Top End in the Northern Territory, then from the northwest to the southeast of Queensland. A sequence of broad upper troughs moved through southern Queensland, which led to bands of showers and patchy rain. Moderate falls were recorded in a band from the northwest, though central districts and into southeastern Queensland in the middle of the week.

In the last part of the week, a surface trough produced a cloudband, with rain and thunderstorms generating moderate falls to the central interior of the Northern Territory. Showers produced moderate falls in the far northern tip of the Cape York Peninsula.

Throughout the week, a series of cold fronts and surface troughs continued to track across southern Australia, resulting in widespread, light falls reported across much of the South West Land Division in Western Australia, southern South Australia, western and central Victoria and southeastern New South Wales.

Rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm were recorded in isolated pockets of western Tasmania, a small areas of the Victorian Alps and the south coast of Western Australia.

Rainfall totals between 50 mm and 100 mm were recorded in southwest Western Australia, southeastern parts of the Northern Territory, in an area of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, parts of the Victorian Alps and along the west coast of Tasmania.

Rainfall totals between 10 mm and 50 mm were recorded in southwest and along the southern coast of Western Australia, southern and southeastern South Australia, parts of western, central and northeastern Victoria, southeastern New South Wales and in northern and western Tasmania. Similar totals were recorded through central parts of the Northern Territory, western, central and southeastern Queensland.

Little or no rainfall was recorded in remaining parts of Western Australia, in the north and south of the Northern Territory, much of northern and southwestern Queensland, and most of New South Wales away from the southeast. Similarly, little or no rainfall was recorded in eastern Victoria, southeastern Tasmania, and remaining parts of South Australia away from the southern coast.

Impact of recent rainfall on deficits

The Drought Statement, issued on 3 July 2017, discusses rainfall deficits over Australia for the 4-month (March 2017–June 2017) period. The rainfall deficit map is available for this period as well as for standard periods.

The maps below show the percentage of mean rainfall that has been received for the rainfall deficit period for the 4-month period ending 11 July 2017.

Rainfall for the period 1 March 2017 to 11 July 2017

Serious or severe rainfall deficiencies are in place near the west coast of Western Australia, on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, and in western and southern Tasmania. Serious deficiencies are also present in South Australia on the Yorke and Fleurieu peninsulas, parts of the Adelaide region and the mid-North, and on Kangaroo Island; also in West Gippsland in Victoria.

Rainfall during the past week has eased deficiencies in South Australia slightly. In other areas there was generally little change.

Rainfall received for the period in affected areas of Western Australia ranged from less than 20% of average near the Northwest Cape to less than 60% of average in parts of the southwest. Rainfall totals were less than 50% of average for the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, and less than 70% of average for the majority of the other areas affected in South Australia, and less than 60% of average for West Gippsland. Rainfall totals were less than 70% for most of Tasmania.