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Signs of drought return in Qld, NSW

Ben Domensino, Monday March 6, 2017 - 15:03 AEDT

The first Drought Statement released by the Bureau of Meteorology since last spring shows that rainfall deficiencies have emerged over parts of eastern Australia.

A welcomed lack of drought-statements during the past few months followed Australia's wettest May-to-September period on record.

Unfortunately, this record and drought breaking wet spell was followed by a return to hot and dry conditions through eastern Australia during spring. This type of weather became even more prevalent in summer, which turned out to be the hottest on record in New South Wales and southern Queensland.

This turnaround has allowed rainfall deficiencies to emerge in parts of Queensland and New South Wales leading into the start of autumn.

Today's Drought Statement shows that there were serious to severe rainfall deficiencies in parts of central and southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales between November and February.

These worst affected area has been southeast Queensland, where serious to severe rainfall deficiencies have arisen in most areas. Serious deficiencies also extend across parts of central Queensland and down into northern New South Wales, mainly about the Northwest Slopes and Plains and the coast near Kempsey.

Serious rainfall deficiency refers to an area that has experienced rainfall in the lowest five to ten per cent of historical records for a given period of time. Severe deficiencies refer to rainfall in the lowest five per cent of records.

Today's report on rainfall deficit comes as eastern Australia embarks on what is expected to be a drier-than-average autumn. Most areas in Queensland and New South Wales are anticipated to experience drier and warmer than average conditions during the next few months, particularly west of the Great Dividing Range.

Adding to this unfortunate outlook are early signs that El Nino may return later in 2017, although it is too early in the year to know whether or not this will happen.

The latest Drought Statement from the Bureau of Meteorology can be found here: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/

- Weatherzone

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