BELOW average rainfall likely in parts of eastern Australia while there should be above average rainfall in north west and central Western Australia according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
BOM’s monthly and seasonal climate outlooks for January to March 2017 indicate warmer days and nights likely across eastern and northern Australia; cooler than average more likely in Tasmania and southwest Western Australia.
CLICK HERE to read more about the monthly and seasonal outlook.
Climate influences include warmer ocean waters surrounding northern Australia, and a northward shift in the usual position of the westerly winds to Australia's south – known as the Southern Annular Mode.
According to BOM the outlooks are influenced by the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), as well as warmer waters surrounding northern Australia. SAM is currently negative, and forecast to remain negative through January (a negative SAM means Australia experiences higher pressures than normal, resulting in reduced rainfall and higher temperatures during the summer months).
The warmer than normal sea surface temperatures surrounding northern Australia are likely to enhance rainfall in north west WA.
