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Australia has recorded its wettest November in 122 years and its coolest in 22 years as the country prepares for more rain over the summer.
In NSW, it was the wettest November since 1917 on record, receiving nearly three times the monthly average rainfall. In Bathurst, 241.6 millimetres of rain was recorded, breaking a 113-year-old November mark of 195.7 millimetres.
Predicted rains across Australia in November.Credit:Weatherzone/Ben Domensino
The country recorded an average rainfall of 72 millimetres this year, more than double the November national average of 32 millimetres. The previous November rainfall record was set nearly 50 years ago during the La Nina event of 1973, the Bureau of Meteorology noted in its spring climate summary released on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, November was among the 10 wettest for Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. Rainfall was below average for western Tasmania, far south-west Victoria, south-east South Australia, and south-west Western Australia.
Bureau of Meteorology senior climatologist Simon Grainger said there were a range of factors that influenced the development of storms and heavy rain across the country this year. These included a negative Indian Ocean Dipole and wetter tropical conditions over the continent.
“All of this has contributed to saturated soil and catchments across large parts of eastern Australia, and with a wet summer still ahead, the risk of further flooding will remain for the coming months,” he said.
“Overall, it was Australia’s coolest November since the La Nina event of 1999, and the coolest spring overall since 2016.”
The country is likely to see wet weather continue through the warmer months after a La Nina event was declared last week. Australia has experienced 18 La Ninas since 1900 and 12 have coincided with flooding in eastern states. The average rainfall from December to March in La Niña years is 20 per cent higher than the long-term average.
Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said it was unlikely that December would be as wet, with two significant climate drivers set to move away from the country. Eastern Australia is still likely to see above-average rainfall, with wetter conditions set to ease in central and western parts.