The Bureau of Meteorology has released ‘Special Climate Statement 77,’ a formal document of the persistent record-breaking heavy rain and flooding that occurred in Eastern Australia throughout Spring 2022.
This statement details the rainfall patterns, catchment conditions and offers a comparative perspective with prior rainfall records and flood incidents. Numerous places in South-Eastern Australia saw their highest total spring rainfall ever, including over 200 sites with a century’s worth of observation.
Spring 2022 is likely remembered by many for its relentless heavy rains which resulted in vast riverine flooding, especially in the Murray–Darling Basin spanning New South Wales and Victoria, with floodwaters making their way into South Australia. Other regions like southern Victoria, Southern Queensland, and Northern Tasmania were also impacted by significant flooding.
Some gauges exceeded their historical flood peaks during spring 2022, including on the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee rivers in NSW, the Campaspe River at Rochester in Victoria and in the Tamar catchment in Tasmania.
Major weather systems brought significant rainfall to southern and eastern Australia with 4 months of very wet conditions during the period between August and November 2022.
Three primary climate influencers drove Australia’s above average rainfall during this time: the La Niña effect, a negative shift in the Indian Ocean Dipole, and a positive inclination in the Southern Annular Mode.
Some might remember the major flooding of 2010 – 2011. Though this flooding had a wider reach, the flooding in the second half of 2022 persisted notably longer in the southern Murray–Darling Basin. In fact, A greater number of river gauges in the southern Murray–Darling Basin stayed above flood levels for a record number of days in 2022.
The Bureau’s special climate statements provide detailed information about significant weather and climate events that affect Australians. The latest statement joins an archival collection spanning over 16 years, offering everyone a gateway to understanding the climatic nuances that influence our lifestyle and providing easy access to data and information.
For the latest weather updates and to stay informed, visit the BOM website here.
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