Our wettest October in years – Paul Rosser’s Weather Report

This month we received 71.5mm taking our YTD figure to 412.0mm.   This was our best October since the Weather Report began in 2012.   Great for our 50,000 litre tank which is again overflowing for the third time this year.   This augurs well for 2026.

How does this compare with those last 13 years since reporting began:

2025                                                   71.5mm (1)                                       412.0mm (8)

2024                                                   14.5mm                                             334.0mm

2023                                                   17.5mm                                             463.5mm (5)

2022                                                   71.0mm (2)                                       456.0mm (=6)

2021                                                   48.5mm                                             449.0mm (7)

2020                                                   53.5mm                                             456.0mm (=6)

2019                                                   25.0mm                                             329.5mm

2018                                                   14.5mm                                             282.5mm

2017                                                   19.5mm                                             464.0mm (4)

2016                                                   55.0mm (3)                                       610.5mm (1)

2015                                                     2.0mm                                             369.5mm

2014                                                       NIL                                                  345.0mm

2013                                                     9.0mm                                             469.0mm (3)

2012                                                   14.0mm                                             476.0mm (2)

The table says it all, best month but seventh in the year-to-date tally.   I planted five plants early last week, before my fight with the chain saw & the ground was wet down one spade depth.  I was happy with that after what we’ve been through in the last 18 months.

I guess you’ve all been up with the new BOM website debacle.    I have got very limited information through since the changeover but have locked into independent sources that I use regularly.   They are good but as the USA reduces its maintenance on buoys worldwide as part of the President’s cost cutting, our reliance on that information will hinder long-term accuracy at home.  Australia continues to maintain our 300+ buoys around our shores which secures our weekly forecasting.

The Antarctic warming influence I spoke of last time has been countered to some extent by movement of La Nina in the Pacific & the Indian Ocean Dipole going into negative mode.  Which should mean good rain for November with a return to average rainfall & temperatures during summer.   Fire risk will stay around normal, so prepare well for summer.

As the ABC Meteorologist Tom Saunders said recently, ‘Australia’s weather this Spring has gone way off script’.    That sums it up well.    The predicted rain in the NT, Qld & NSW didn’t eventuate & instead they had a very hot October with quite a few 40’s & above.    Moomba in South Australia had 45 degrees on October 25th.  We still got good rains in October & a few thunderstorms which I mentioned would happen in last month’s First Nations’ section of the report.  Thunder & lightning are OK if accompanied by rain but dry lightning can increase fire risk dramatically.

So, that’s it for October as we head into November.

All the best,

Paul

1. On the third/fourth November we had 22mm if you’re wondering.

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Paul Rosser

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