Higher average rainfall on cards for Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast
It’s not the news that rain ravaged New South Wales communities will want to hear but weather experts say the above average rainfall could continue until mid this year. See what’s causing it all.
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The La Niña forecast presents above-average rainfall for the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast for the remainder of autumn and possibly into June, producing up to four times the usual chance of rain, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
BOM forecaster Stephan Stefanac said weather for the North Coast over the next few days will be ‘even conditions’ with chances of showers over the weekend yet mostly dry and sunny, with not a lot of wind around.
“Monday could have an increased risk of showers, storms around the tablelands and we expect them to stay inlands, not on the coast,” he said.
Further south there will be lighter showers along the coast.
“Into the new week is a mixed bag, from Wednesday onwards onshore winds return with showers along the coast each day but no sign of heavy rainfall.
“In the longer term in the Northern Rivers presents a 65-75 per cent chance of more rainfall over the course of April, just coming out of La Niña there is a chance of the Northern Rivers being wetter than normal.”
He said the May to July period appears to return to average rainfalls.
“It depends on the weather systems that come through, but current indications and statistical factors suggest there is the higher chance of being wetter than normal in April May and possibly June then starting to stabilise around July.”
Weatherwatch expert Anthony Cornelius said patterns are predicting that April will be wetter than usual.
“The La Niña pattern weakens as you come into autumn,” he said.
“The Pacific Ocean goes into a neutral phase, but this hasn’t happened.
“Combined with warm sea surface temperatures still, that would suggest above average rainfall.”
These conditions do not mean more floods will occur though it is still a “concern”.
“We are in an very active period of weather system, without a doubt,” Mr Cornelius said.
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