Small soaking reminds us we are still in drought

Glenwood got a minor soaking of 26mm

RADAR: Rain is shown over Gympie on the Gympie Weather Radar as at 6.15am, Tuesday July 11, 2017. (Courtesy of Weatherzone). Picture: Contributed

AN unfamiliar sound hit Gympie roofs last night when a sprinkling of rain delivered 7mm in 24 hours for the city.

The north received the most out of the evening's weather with Glenwood recording 26mm, Sexton 21mm and Brooyar 17mm.

But short and sweet it will be, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Adam Woods said, as the upper trough that brought the patchy rain will clear off the coast by lunch time opening up to clear conditions again.

"You won't see much more in the gauge,” Mr Woods said.

Overnight rainfall, Gympie region

• Glenwood: 26mm
• Sexton: 21mm
• Brooyar: 17mm
• Tiaro: 17mm
• Maryborough: 11mm
• Goomboorian: 10mm
• Double Island Point: 7.4mm
• Fisherman's Pocket: 7mm
• Mount Wolvi: 7mm
• Gympie: 7mm
• Cedar Pocket Dam: 5mm
• Imbil: 1.8mm
• Kandanga: 2mm
• Dagun: 3mm
• Cooroy: 3mm
• Pomona: 4mm

FORECAST: Gympie's weather forecast for the week, courtesy of Weatherzone. Picture: Contributed

The short-lived rainfall is a reminder of how dismal the recent rainfall tally has been as Gympie remains drought declared.

Gympie has had a 'very much below average' rainfall for April, May and June, according to Bureau of Meteorology data and as at May 25, Gympie was one of 32 councils and 3 part council areas remaining drought declared, with 52 Individually Droughted Properties in a further 7 council areas in Queensland.

Last month Gympie only received 14.4mm, just 24% of its average rainfall of 60.5mm for June.

DRY: Gympie has had 'Very much below average' rainfall for April, May and June, according to data provided by the Bureau of Meteorology. Picture: Contributed

With the exception of March, when Cyclone Debbie delivered a pour down helping to double the month's average rainfall, and May, which was right on average, Gympie has received well below average rainfall each month this year.

At half way through the year Gympie received a total of 486.2mm, which is 43% of Gympie's average annual rainfall of 1124.5mm.

In February, which is Gympie's wettest month traditionally with an average rainfall of 167.4mm, Gympie only received 21mm this year- just 13 % of the February average.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts that from July to September rainfall is likely to be below average over parts of southeastern Australia.

BoM forecatser Adam Woods said another trough system pushing through from the west may deliver rain on Saturday and Sunday.

Gympie remains drought declared, as of May 25, 2017. Map courtesy of Bureau of Meteorology. Picture: Contributed

Rainfall Jan- June 2017 for Gympie

• January: 63.4mm
• February: 21mm
• March: 293.8mm
• April: 19.6mm
• May: 74mm
• June: 14.4mm
• July so far (until July 11): 14.8mm

Rainfall mean for Gympie

• January: 163.8mm
• February: 167.4mm
• March: 145.1mm
• April: 82.9mm
• May: 71.4mm
• June: 60.5mm
• July: 52.1mm

Percentage of average rainfall reached for Gympie, 2017

• January 39%
• February 13%
• March 202%
• April 24%
• May 104%
• June 24%