‘Unusually warm’ winter ahead

Australians are in for a warm winter but some residents should be sure to keep their umbrellas handy, with above average rainfall expected across some parts of the country.

Winter days and nights are likely to be noticeably warmer than average across the whole country, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest climate and long-range forecast.

“For June to August, all of Australia has an increased likelihood of unusually high maximum temperatures for this time of the year,” the Bureau said in its May 16 forecast.

“There is also an increased chance of unusually warm minimum temperatures, with large areas of the country very likely (greater than 80 per cent chance) to have unusually warm minimum temperatures

“Unusually high maximum and minimum temperatures are defined as the warmest 20 per cent of June to August days and nights from 1981 to 2018.”

The Bureau said warm ocean temperatures were persisting in the Tasman and the Coral Sea and were forecast to remain above average during June to August.

While the far south and parts of Australia’s east are likely to see rainfall that is typical for the June to August period, rainfall is most likely to be above average for large areas of southern inland Australia.

“Large parts of the southern interior are more than likely to receive above average rainfall, most notably across inland New South Wales and southern Queensland,” the Bureau said.

“Some of the more populated southern regions of the country, including south west Western Australia, south east South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania are likely to see rainfall that is typical for the June to August period.

“This includes regions which have recently been quite dry.”

The Bureau said some parts of southern Australia had a “slightly increased chance of unusually high rainfall”.

“Unusually high rainfall is defined as the highest 20 per cent of June to August rainfall from 1981 to 2018,” the Bureau said.