Rainfall Update

For the week to 14 December 2021, rainfall was recorded in northern and central Western Australia, across the north and central parts of the Northern Territory, northern and eastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales, the eastern half of Victoria, and small parts of Tasmania.

At the start of the week, a cloudband with embedded thunderstorms stretched from northern Queensland to eastern Victoria, east of a surface trough which extended from  north-western and central Queensland, through inland New South Wales to East Gippsland in Victoria. A broad trough also extended across northern and western Australia Thunderstorms developed in central and northern Western Australia, and across large parts of the Northern Territory.

Thunderstorms and showers with moderate falls were again recorded across northern Australia extending from the Kimberley, the north and central Northern Territory and into north-eastern Queensland. The surface trough in the east triggered further showers and thunderstorms over central to south-eastern districts of Queensland.

The trough brought unsettled conditions to eastern New South Wales as it moved to the coast and  weak low pressure system then formed off the southern coast of New South Wales , generating areas of heavy rainfall, with daily rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm in some parts of the South Coast District in New South Wales on the 10th.

In the last part of the week, the low pressure system moved south-east away from the coast of New South Wales, and produced further moderate falls across the South Coast District. The surface trough along the east coast of Queensland triggered showers and thunderstorms about the Central Coast and Capricornia districts, as well as across the far Cape York Peninsula.

Thunderstorms and showers continued across northern Australia to the end of the week, with isolated showers and thunderstorms developing over the Interior of Western Australia and south-west parts of the Northern Territory. Tropical cyclone Ruby formed in the Coral Sea on the 12th, then moved south-east out of the Australian Region into the South Pacific Region on the 13th.

Rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm were recorded in pockets of the Darwin-Daly District in the Northern Territory, around Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula, the South Coast District in New South Wales and in East Gippsland in Victoria. The highest weekly total was 215.2 mm at Brogo (Blanchards Road) in the South Coast District of New South Wales.

Rainfall totals between 50 mm and 100 mm were recorded in parts of the Kimberley in Western Australia, and in areas of the north-west and central west of the Northern Territory. Similar totals were reported in areas of northern, central and south-east Queensland, along much of eastern New South Wales, and the eastern third of Victoria.

Rainfall totals of 10 mm to 50 mm were recorded in northern and central Western Australia, northern and central parts of the Northern Territory, northern and the eastern half of Queensland, eastern New South Wales, and the eastern half of Victoria.

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, 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 14 December 2021.

Rainfall for the period 1 April 2020 to 14 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.