Wetter than average spring predicted

The Bureau is expecting a wet spring for most of the eastern half of Australia where there is a high chance of above average rainfall.

The Spring 2022 Climate and Water Outlook, released on Friday 26 August, reflects several climate influences including a negative Indian Ocean Dipole event to the west and the chance of a La Niña returning this spring increasing to around 70 per cent.

Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) senior climatologist Dr Lynette Bettio said “where soils and catchments are wet, and streamflows are high, further rainfall this spring will increase the risk of flooding for eastern Australia.”

“In northern Australia, the first rains of the wet season are likely be earlier than normal for much of Queensland and the Northern Territory.”

October is the official beginning of the wet season across northern Australia.

Further, Dr Bettio said a positive Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is also likely, which pushes weather systems south, bringing wetter easterly winds to NSW and fewer cold fronts to western Tasmania.

Dr Bettio said parts of Western Australia and western Tasmania are likely to experience below average rainfall this spring.

Almost all of Australia is likely to experience warmer than average nights, while cooler days are likely for large parts of the mainland except the tropical north.

Communities can keep up to date with the official forecasts and warnings on the Bureau’s website and BOM Weather app.