BOM forecasts wet autumn for some as La Niña weather system declines
ABC Weather
/
By
Kate Doyle and
Tyne Logan
Posted Yesterday at 3:19pm, updated Yesterday at 6:49pm
The autumn outlook suggests there is a high likelihood of exceeding median rainfall on the east coast but conditions are expected to be more average or even below average in the west.(Bureau Of Meteorology)
Share
The much-discussed La Niña phenomenon has brought the best wet season for years in the Top End and a welcome change to rainier conditions for most of the country, but some still missed out this summer.
Key points:
- BOM suggests wetter than average conditions are expected to continue for eastern Australia
- La Niña is set to bid farewell but there are encouraging signs of rain for those who need it
- Bushfires risks will remain for parts of WA and Queensland this autumn
And the Bureau of Meteorology [BOM] autumn outlook is for wetter-than-average conditions in the east.
According to BOM climatologist Naomi Benger, La Niña will continue to wield influence into autumn even though it is weakening.
"The typical lifecycle of La Niña is that it decays through autumn," she said.
"We are expecting it to decay through early autumn, but we are still seeing quite strong signals in the atmosphere, even though some of the oceanic measurements are hinting towards the decay."
Hence, encouraging signs of rain in areas that need it.
YOUTUBEBOM: Climate and water outlook autumn 2021
"We are expecting above average rainfall in eastern and some northern parts, including those parts of Queensland that have missed out so far this year," Dr Benger said.
And cyclone season isn't over until the end of April.
Above-average minimum temperatures are expected to continue across most of the country, with the exception of central and western South Australia and south-eastern Western Australia.
Daytime temperatures are expected to be above average for the far north and south as well as the far west.
Bring on the wet
So far, La Niña's impact has fallen well short of infamous flood years like 2011 and 1974.
Summer still has a few days to go and, according to Dr Benger, rain has been above average for the nation as a whole and the highest seen since the summer of 2016-17.
The Top End is finally enjoying a wet season worthy of the name after the last two failed. The Red Centre is tinged with green and Uluru's valleys have become waterfalls several times this summer.
It has rained on the rock several times this wet season.(ABC Weather: Kate Doyle)
Trevor Durling, senior planning engineer at the Northern Territory
BOM autumn outlook: The wet is not over yet
LISTENER QUESTION
Why Do I Cough When I Clean My Ears?
Listener Rachita in India wrote us to ask about this tendency, which actually has a name: Arnold’s ear-cough reflex.
Listen now >>