South East Queensland
Climate overview

Rainfall across the South East Queensland region was generally above average for the 2011–12 year (Figure C1). The total area-averaged rainfall over the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year was 1,143 mm, which is above the long-term area-averaged rainfall of 969 mm. When compared to the record high rainfall observed during the 2010–11 year (the Account 2011), the rainfall conditions in 2011–12 contributed to an overall decrease to inflows into the urban storages. However, due to the high storage volumes in the previous year, water volumes in almost all the storages in the South East Queensland region increased during the 2011–12 year (see 1.1 Storages).

Figure C1 Map of annual rainfall deciles for the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year

Annual rainfall ranged from more than 2,100 mm in both the northeast of the region and the area south of the Gold Coast, to less than 700 mm in the far northwest (Figure C2).

Figure C2 Map of total annual rainfall for the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year

The wet year observed in the South East Queensland region is consistent with the above average rainfall experienced across much of northern and eastern Australia. These wet conditions were a result of a La Niña event in the Pacific Ocean and warmer than average sea surface temperatures in the Australian region. La Niña conditions persisted from October 2011 through to March 2012.

The area-averaged monthly rainfall was fairly variable for most months of the reporting period. The region experienced very high rainfall in January, ranking as the eighth wettest on record and almost doubling the rainfall usually received for the month. Rainfall across the region was around or above  90th percentile in January, June and August 2011. However, rainfall was around or above long-term average in most of the months except July, September, November and May (Figure C3). 

Figure C3 Graph of total monthly rainfall for the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year compared with the long-term average and percentiles for the region

Evapotranspiration across the South East Queensland region was generally average to above average across the region for the 2011–12 year (Figure C4).

Figure C4 Map of annual evapotranspiration deciles for the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year

The total area-averaged evapotranspiration over the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year was 919 mm. Evapotranspiration was highest along the coast, decreasing from east to west across the region (Figure C5).

Figure C5 Map of total annual evapotranspiration for the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year

In the 2011–12 year, the entire South East Queensland region experienced mean temperatures very close to the long-term average (Figure C6).

Figure C6 Map of annual mean temperature deciles for the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year

Annual mean temperatures in the 2011–12 year across the region ranged from more than 18 °C in the coastal parts of the region including Brisbane and Gold Coast, to less than 14 °C in a small area in the southeast of the region (Figure C7).

Figure C7 Map of annual mean temperature for the South East Queensland region during the 2011–12 year

La Niña events are typically associated with cooler than average daytime temperatures in eastern parts of Australia from October to April. Monthly mean temperatures for the South East Queensland region were generally below average between October and April (Figure C8), with the exception of November, which is broadly consistent with the typical effect of La Niña on temperatures.

December 2011 was equal to the fifth coolest December on record, with an area-averaged mean temperature close to 2 °C below normal. In contrast, November 2011 was much warmer than average, ranking as the sixth warmest on record.
 

Figure C8 Graph of average monthly mean temperature for the South East Queensland region during 2011–12 year compared with the long-term average and percentiles for the region