Australia & New Zealand

Australia & New Zealand: Water deficits will shrink in Australia but persist in the north

Australia & New Zealand: Water deficits will shrink in Australia but persist in the north

The forecast through June indicates that the exceptional water deficits that have dominated much of Australia in prior months will nearly disappear, though intense anomalies are forecast in the north. Primarily moderate deficits are expected from Adelaide through Victoria and along rivers in the Murray-Darling system. Deficits are expected to be more intense in northeastern New South Wales, Tasmania, the southwestern tip of Western Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia.

Australia & New Zealand: Extreme water deficits forecast for NE NSW

Australia & New Zealand: Extreme water deficits forecast for NE NSW

The forecast through May indicates that the widespread, exceptional water deficits that have dominated Australia in prior months will diminish considerably. However, exceptional deficits are forecast in the far north and in northern South Australia. Severe deficits are forecast in eastern Queensland and extreme anomalies in the Northern Tableland of New South Wales. Intense deficits are also forecast for Tasmania, New Zealand, and New Caledonia.

Australia & New Zealand: Intense water deficits will persist in Tasmania

Australia & New Zealand: Intense water deficits will persist in Tasmania

The forecast through April indicates that the intense water deficits that have dominated many parts of Australia in prior months will nearly disappear. However, severe to exceptional deficits will persist in Tasmania; along Victoria’s coast; in northwestern New South Wales and the eastern portion of the Lake Eyre drainage basin; and in the Blackwood River region in the tip of Western Australia.

Australia & New Zealand: Water deficits to diminish except in SE Australia & New Caledonia

Australia & New Zealand: Water deficits to diminish except in SE Australia & New Caledonia

The forecast through March indicates that the intense water deficits that have dominated many parts of Australia in prior months will diminish considerably. However, severe to exceptional deficits will persist in Tasmania; along the southeastern coast of Australia from Adelaide past Melbourne; in the Strzelecki Desert in northwestern New South Wales; around Darwin in Northern Territory; and in the Blackwood River region near Busselton in the tip of Western Australia.

Australia & New Zealand: Water deficits to persist in TAS, VIC, & NSW

Australia & New Zealand: Water deficits to persist in TAS, VIC, & NSW

The forecast through February indicates that intense water deficits will nearly disappear, persisting in Tasmania, pockets of Victoria and New South Wales, and around Busselton in Western Australia. Deficits will be severe on the Murray River. Moderate deficits are forecast across northern Australia. In New Zealand, deficits are forecast in the north and surpluses in the south from Christchurch to Dunedin. Deficits in New Caledonia will moderate.