Queensland towns exceed annual average rainfall by May as records tumble

Brisbane is on track for its wettest year ever as La Nina drives a record-breaking deluge across the state, with meteorologists warning the heavy rainfall and flooding will continue into winter. SEE THE LATEST TOTALS

Brisbane is expected to smash rainfall records with 2022 on track to be the wettest year ever.

More than 1486mm has fallen on the state’s capital in the year-to-date and senior meteorologists say the wet weather isn’t over with La Nina expected to linger into winter.

It’s already made for Brisbane’s highest annual total in 12 years and the city has far exceeded its annual average of 1011.5mm, while other regions across Queensland have already exceeded their annual average rainfall.

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist, Felim Hanniffy, said Brisbane could be on track to “rival” its highest annual total recorded in 1893.

“We still have a bit to go to beat the all time record of 2242mm,” Mr Hanniffy said.

“But it’s making a good effort given its May and we’ve seen 150 per cent of our average annual rainfall already.”

A map from the Bureau of Meteorology shows that parts of Queensland have recorded double their mean rain for the year-to-date.

Mr Hanniffy said Brisbane would need slightly above average rainfall, or another significant rainfall event, to top the highest annual total in Brisbane’s 182 years of rain records.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest climate outlook advised that cooler than average sea-surface temperatures in the central tropical Pacific during June to August are likely to persist even if La Nina eases. Coupled with warmer ocean temperatures in the western tropical Pacific, this would favour average to above average winter rainfall for eastern Australia.

Chief meteorologist at Sky News Weather Tom Saunders said the Southern Oscillation Index, a key indicator for the strength of a La Nina event, was still “well beyond the threshold”.

He said conditions were lining up to being more rainfall and more flooding.

Georgie Lochran, 8, and Amelia Lochran, 6, on their property in Kulgun. The region has already exceeded its annual rainfall total. Picture: Josh Woning

In Kulgun, in the Scenic Rim, the Lochran family were enjoying a rain reprieve, with Georgie, 8, and Amelia, 6 soaking up the sun in their gumboots on Tuesday.

The forecast wetter-than-average winter will come after significant rainfall inundated large parts of Queensland.

Brisbane isn’t the only location on track for records with slow-moving troughs bringing huge rainfall totals which also flooded parts of southern Queensland and Maryborough in January and February.

Significant totals were again recorded in the first half of May as two systems interacting with each other brought widespread rain across the majority of Queensland.

Imbil, near Gympie, has seen its wettest year since records began in 1898, with 1548mm surpassing the previous record of 1116mm.

Significant moisture in the air this week with little wind has made for unseasonably muggy conditions in the South East. Mr Hanniffy said the dew point was in the low 20Cs, which is usually felt in the peak of the wet season.

“We are seeing a bit more of a southerly starting to pick up on Tuesday about the South East which triggers some showers,” Mr Hanniffy.

“ … As that southerly picks up, it won’t be as humid as we have felt in the past few days.”

Minimum temperatures for June to August are “very likely” to be warmer than median for Australia.

Originally published as Queensland towns exceed annual average rainfall by May as records tumble