Strong cold fronts in the southeast are whipping up the wind, but not letting the rain travel very far inland. Excessive heat and blocking high pressure may take a holiday later next week, letting rain spill down into areas that need it most.
Jane Bunn from Jane's Weather delivers the latest seasonal weather updates and La Nina forecasts in regional Australia. Get insights on rainfall, heatwaves, and weather patterns around the country.
‘Surf’s up’ in the Pacific Ocean this week, but if you’re looking for a wave in the west there isn’t much happening. The wave pattern in the Pacific indicates that we are still heading towards a higher rain phase in the months ahead, while the Indian Ocean has failed to deliver. However, in the next week, there is the potential for a bit of rain in the southeast.
The latest measure of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is nearly off the charts negative. SAM controls our weather patterns and a negative burst indicates that we’re seeing strong cold fronts. So where is the rain for southeastern Australia?
A juicy northwest cloudband is transporting moisture from the Indian Ocean down into southern Australia. This system ‘peaked’ in the southwest (with stand out totals of 25 to 50 mm) and is on its way across central parts heading for the east.
The current cold outbreak over the eastern states has one more chance to deliver snow to Queensland on Thursday morning, before the cold pool moves away.
The weather maps are showing quite a considerable part of the country in store for rain, with the potential for significant falls in western Queensland, western NSW and northern SA - but they’re also showing the potential for handy rain in the southeast in the longer term too.
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