Rainfall Update

For the week to 7 December 2021, rainfall was recorded in large areas of the eastern and northern Australia. Areas in the North West Pastoral District in South Australia and central Western Australia also recorded rainfall.

At the start of the week, troughs extended across the eastern seaboard and through western Queensland to northern New South Wales. These combined with an upper level trough and onshore flow, producing thunderstorms and showers in eastern and southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Daily rainfall between 50 mm and 100 mm was recorded in the North Rivers District in New South Wales and in south-eastern Queensland. Multiples stations observed record-high December daily rainfall totals.

Rainfall eased and contracted to coastal south-east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales as the trough moved away from the east coast. Light rainfall was recorded in southern and central New South Wales, and northern and central Victoria. Thunderstorms and showers were reported in the Top End in the Northern Territory and in western Cape York and the Gulf country in Queensland.

During the middle part of the week, a number of weak cold fronts moved across Tasmania, while a pre-frontal trough extending across South Australia and Victoria moved east through New South Wales and southern Queensland. Light to moderate rainfall was recorded in Victoria and Tasmania, and the south of New South Wales, and moderate rainfall in Queensland's coastal south-east and north-east New South Wales. Thunderstorms produced light to moderate rainfall in the North West Pastoral district in South Australia.

In the last part of the week, a trough extended across northern Australia and down through both the western and eastern sides of the continent, triggering thunderstorms and showers across large parts of northern and eastern Australian, and in the North West Pastoral District in South Australia.

For the week as a whole, rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm were recorded in far south-eastern Queensland and far north-eastern New South Wales. The highest rainfall for the week was 293.6 mm at Evans Head RAAF Bombing Range AWS in the Northern Rivers District in New South Wales.

Rainfall totals between 50 mm and 100 mm were recorded in the north-east and north-west of New South Wales, areas in southern and central Queensland, and the Top End of the Northern Territory.

Rainfall totals of 10 mm to 50 mm were recorded in the Kimberley and central Western Australia; the north, east and south of the Northern Territory; most of Queensland except the Channel Country; most of New South Wales away from the western border; central Victoria and south Gippsland; the south-western half and north-east of Tasmania; and the North West Pastoral District in South Australia.

Impact of recent rainfall on deficits

Rainfall deficits over Australia for the 20-month (April 2020–November 2021) period are discussed in the Drought Statement, which issued on 6 December 2021.

Rainfall deficit maps are available for the period as well as for standard periods. The maps to the right shows the percentage of mean rainfall that has been received for the period starting April 2020, and extended to the week ending 7 December 2021.

Rainfall for the period 1 April 2020 to 7 December 2021

As a result of above or very much above average rainfall in November for most of mainland Australia, and highest on record November rainfall for areas of eastern Queensland, serious or severe rainfall deficiencies for the period have been removed in Queensland's Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, and Central Highlands districts, and from a pocket of the west of the state near Boulia.

The areas of eastern Queensland previously affected by serious or severe rainfall deficiencies have now generally received between 80% and 100% of their average for the period. However, rainfall for the 20-month (April 2020–November 2021) period was still below average (in the lowest 30% of historical observations) for large areas.

Areas around Boulia in Queensland and the Southern Interior in Western Australia have generally received 60% to 80% of their average for the period.

With the removal of serious and severe rainfall deficiencies for the period commencing April 2020, there is now no formally monitored drought period.