Australia's Variable Rainfall

Posters showing inter-annual (April to March) rainfall variability for Australia

This version of Australia's Variable Rainfall Poster depicts twelve monthly rainfall (April-March) in maps for the years 1890 through to 2024 alongside a graph of Southern Oscillation Index and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation values.

Australia's Variable Rainfall poster (1890 – 2024) (PDF, 7.1MB) 

Note: This poster replaces previous versions that covered periods 1900 to 1997, 1890 to 2004, 1890 to 2013 and 1890 to 2015. The April to March period best captures El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) periods and is useful in most areas of the country.

• 2-page quick guide for Rainfall, pasture growth and Wet & Dry posters. (PDF, 812 KB)
• Maps for updating the previous versions of the posters. (PDF, 2.2MB) This update contains maps for years (2022/23 and 2023/24) for all posters and can be used to extend your current A1 printed posters to 2023/24. 

Reference

McKeon G., Stone G., Ahrens D., Carter J., Cobon D., Irvine S. and Syktus J. (2021). Queensland’s multi-year Wet and Dry periods: implications for grazing enterprises and pasture resources. The Rangeland Journal 43(3) 121-142