The latest from the Weather Bureau: north Brisbane set for a warm and partly cloudy weekend

Evidence points to less rain in North Brisbane. Ann Ellerman from Wahminda Grove Bushcare discusses its impact on local bushland.

There are around three fewer heavy rain days during springtime in north Brisbane. North Lakes, 14 October 2020, Source: Monash University.

In the days ahead, north Brisbane is forecast to see a warm weekend in the high 20s starting off sunny on Saturday and cloudy on Sunday with a very high UV index.

There is a small chance of a springtime rain today - a phenomenon which is becoming a lot less common across north Brisbane.

In the 1970s, the northern suburbs saw about eight days of heavy spring rain - with ten millimeters or more in one day - but now only sees around five such rainy days.

A similar trend can be seen across Greater Brisbane - for instance, in the southeastern suburbs, there are three fewer heavy rain days now than in the 1970s.

Voices from your community

Ann Ellerman is the group leader at Wahminda Grove Bushcare Group, which has been affected by shifting local weather patterns.

"In the last few years we have observed noticeable differences in both temperature and rainfall," she explained.

"Our efforts have been impacted by changes to rainfall patterns and prolonged hot, dry windy periods.

"(We) have had to reduce our rehabilitation and revegetation efforts due to the difficulty of keeping plants alive in hot, dry conditions... a number of large trees appear to have died.

"It's been distressing to see the revegetation dying back on such a large scale after the hard work of many years."

Fast fact

Though rain is decreasing over the long term, Brisbane can expect a wetter-than-usual spring and summer, as a La Nina event was announced at the end of September by the BOM.

During La Nina, the east coast of Australia typically receives above-average rainfall, which could mean more tropical cyclones and increased flooding in Queensland.

Our last significant La Nina was in 2010-11, the wettest two-year period on record, and is linked to the 2010-11 Queensland floods.

Brisbane City Council provides resources on how residents can prepare for potential extreme weather events.

Dr Christa Pudmenzky is a climate scientist at the University of Southern Queensland.

This column is part of a collaboration between Monash University and News Corp to deliver hyperlocal weather and climate information.

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