About rainfall variability maps

How were the maps created?

Rainfall data are recorded at a network of weather stations across Australia. The data from these weather stations are stored electronically in the Bureau of Meteorology's database called ADAM (Australian Data Archive for Meteorology).

The rainfall variability maps were based on daily rainfall data from about 18000 weather stations. This daily data were extracted from ADAM and a number of quality control checks were then applied to the data. For example, the data were checked for missing values over the length of the data record.

After the quality checks were applied to the data, an objective analysis technique was then applied to these station values to produce regular gridded datasets (3-monthly and annual) covering Australia. Based on these grids, 10th, 50th and 90th percentile values were calculated for each gridpoint. The variability index value (3-monthly and annual) was calculated from the percentile values.

Finally, the gridded data were visualised in a geographic information system and the colour maps created through this process.

You can find out more about the format of the gridded datasets and the analysis technique is described in the metadata.

Stations used in the analysis

Daily rainfall data from about 18000 weather stations across Australia were used to create the rainfall variability maps. These stations are shown in the map below.

Rainfall metadata

The following metadata summary, and detailed metadata file, provide information about the 3-monthly and annual gridded rainfall variability datasets. For example, information is provided about the format, spatial extents and analysis techniques used to generate the grids.

The detailed metadata file provides more information about these rainfall variability gridded datasets, including information about the analysis technique. You can also find out about the other gridded datasets we have available.

Copyright & contact information

Please note that the copyright for any data supplied by the Bureau of Meteorology is held in the Commonwealth of Australia and the purchaser shall give acknowledgement of the source in reference to the data. Apart from dealings under the Copyright Act 1968, the purchaser shall not reproduce (electronically or otherwise), modify or supply (by sale or otherwise) these data without written permission from the supplier

If you want to know more, please contact us at webclim@bom.gov.au