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Why this quokka is not in the 'rottenest' mood

Anthony Sharwood, Friday June 28, 2024 - 11:07 AEST

Why does this quokka look so happy? Could it be that its home of Rottnest Island is enjoying its first above-average month of rainfall in 12 months – a period that included a record dry spell of seven months with just 7 mm of rain in total from October through to the end of April?

Whatever the case for the smile on old mate quokka’s face, it is surely not alone in feeling chuffed after yet more rain fell across western and southwestern parts of WA on Thursday and overnight into Friday – including on Rottnest Island, the 1859-hectare ecological gem which sits 30 km off Perth.

"Widespread rain for Western Australia" was the headline of a story we wrote on Tuesday, and so it has turned out. Some of the observations of note to 9 am Friday (AWST) include:

Numerous falls of between 10 mm and 20 mm in the Pilbara region, which is significant rain for that area at this time of year – even though it’s far from unheard of as the driest time is between August and October, when almost no rain typically falls.

Falls approaching 20 mm in the Goldfields, including 19.2 mm at Leonora Airport, a couple of hours north of Kalgoorlie.

Useful falls approaching 20 mm in the Central West, including 16 mm at Geraldton Airport, which has had a very wet June with more than double its monthly average rainfall.

Widespread falls exceeding 10 mm further south along the coast, with some heavy readings including 56 mm at Lancelin north of Perth, while the city of Perth itself saw 7.4 mm.

Image: Old mate quokka approves of the rain. Source: iStock.

The overnight rain was caused by a low pressure system just north of Perth and several associated troughs, and continued the trend of consistent rainfall events in the west in June 2024.

The WA rain story this month hasn't been one of huge totals in most locations, but of rainfall roughly in line with long-term averages. After the rain taps turned off early in mid-spring and stayed dry until much later than usual in autumn, an average rainfall month to start off winter would be feeling like a deluge to locals.

Source: BoM.

The chart above shows rainfall for Australia in June 2024 to date. As you can see, Western Australia has finally gotten its fair share, although a mostly dry week now lies ahead after rain eases in most areas on Friday.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2024

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