South East Queensland averages three hours of sunshine a day for May

South East Queensland is officially in a sunshine drought, with a “woeful” statisic putting the region on par with Denmark and Argentina.

South East Queensland has averaged just 3.1 hours of sunshine a day for the entire month of May, a figure the Bureau of Meteorology has labelled “woefully inadequate”.

On average, the southeast usually experiences 7.7 hours a day for the month.

The lack of sunshine is comparable with Torshavn in Denmark, which on average only gets four hours of sun a day, and Ushuaia in Argentina which averages 3.4 hours.

Though it pales in comparison to Barrow in Alaska which gets an average of 1.2 hours and Dikson in Russia which gets less than an hour.

Brisbane has endured a wet, overcast May with an average of just 3.1 hours of sunshine every day. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Queensland’s lack of sunshine is unlikely to change this week with more overcast conditions and rain forecast for every day until Friday in Brisbane.

The highest totals are expected today and Thursday, with up to 10mm possible.

However, BOM says the southeast could experience its first full day of sunshine this month on Saturday

The heaviest rainfall across the week fell on the Sunshine Coast, with 121mm at Maroochydore on Saturday night.

Highest 24-hour rainfall totals to 9am Monday

Oyster Creek – 55mm

Coolum – 53mm

Sunshine Coast Airport – 52mm

Coolum West – 52mm

Mountain Creek – 48mm

Tanawha – 48mm

Upper Doonan – 47mm

Donnan Creek – 47mm

Bundilla – 46mm

Sippy Downs – 46mm

Yandina Creek – 45mm

Upper Springbrook – 41mm

Tewantin – 39mm

Bli Bli – 39mm