Drought

For the week to 27 September 2016, rainfall was recorded in the Northern Territory in the northwest, south of the Top End, and in the southeast; across much of western, central and southern Queensland; most of New South Wales except the central to northern coast and inland north; most of Victoria and areas of eastern South Australia; much of Tasmania except the southeast; and across the South West Land Division and southern coast of Western Australia.

At the start of the week a broad surface and upper-level trough extended a cloudband from the Top End of the Northern Territory through central Australia, across much of Queensland and inland New South Wales. Showers and thunderstorms formed in the vicinity of the trough resulting in moderate falls across western, central, and southern Queensland, and in the northern and eastern parts of the Northern Territory.

At the beginning of the week a cold front and associated low pressure system tracked across southeast Australia, generating moderate falls in western and southern New South Wales, the northwest pastoral districts of South Australia, and northwest Victoria. The low pressure system tracked eastwards, and deepened over southern New South Wales before moving off the New South Wales coast. Widespread light falls were recorded from southeastern Queensland to eastern Victoria, with moderate falls reported locally across southern New South Wales and in parts of East Gippsland.

From the middle of the week, a series of cold fronts tracked across southern Australia. Light falls were recorded in southwest and southern parts of Western Australia, and across the agricultural district and Flinders Ranges in South Australia. The initial frontal system and an associated trough produced a cloudband with embedded storm cells that tracked across the southeast, and produced mostly light rainfall across New South Wales, Victoria, northern and western Tasmania, and southeastern South Australia. Moderate falls were recorded in parts of Murray Valley in South Australia, and the Wimmera district in Victoria, along with parts of central and western New South Wales.

Rainfall totals between 50 and 100 mm were recorded in parts of eastern Victoria, pockets of western and central New South Wales, isolated parts of the Darwin–Daly region in the Northern Territory, and in central Queensland. The highest weekly total was 80 mm at Pirlangimpi Airport in the Northern Territory.

Rainfall totals between 10 mm and 50 mm were recorded in southwest and coastal southern Western Australia; in parts of the Top End, the Victoria River and Alice Springs districts in the Northern Territory; and across western, central and southern Queensland. Similar totals were also recorded in eastern South Australia and about the Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas, across most of Victoria, western and northeastern Tasmania, and most of New South Wales but generally excluding the coast north of Wollongong and areas of the inland north.

Little or no rainfall was recorded in remaining parts of Western Australia, in the north, west and centre of South Australia, the west and south of the Alice Springs District and south of the Gulf in the Northern Territory, southeastern Tasmania, and northern and eastern Queensland.

Impact of recent rainfall on deficits

Due to above average rainfall in recent months over areas which had experienced deficiencies since mid-2015, no large-scale deficiencies are currently present. Rainfall analyses are available for standard periods out to 48 months.