The year began and ended wet, with a long dry patch in the middle really impacting southern Australia. We’re taking a break from the rain over the Christmas week, before it ramps up again in the new year.
Much of southeastern Australia is taking a break from heavy rain, but that comes with a surge of heat. Gusty winds increase the fire danger early next week - and the week of Christmas may also bring extreme conditions.
To make it rain you need moisture and instability, and we have an impressive moisture source that should continue for the rest of the year. The instability is changing though, moving to a new area, set to give the southeast a break from the rain next week.
Over the course of the next week we have the potential for widespread soaking rain over much of southeastern Australia, fuelled by rain crossing the north and interior.
There is the potential for big rainfalls in both the west and east over the next week, which will be quite a change from what southwest WA has been experiencing lately. In the longer term, it is these areas that are most likely to see above average rain across the summer period too.
Showers and storms could bring significant rain to southeast Queensland and northeast NSW over the coming week, while the heat continues but there is relief on the horizon.
Heat is moving into the eastern states in a big shake up from last week’s weather pattern, while the connection to tropical moisture takes a break, limiting the rain potential in southern Australia.
From alpine snow, to a frosty start to the weekend, to a stormy period in Queensland next week, to a looming hot stretch in the west - we have a mixed bag of weather ahead.
