CLIMATOLOGISTS SAY OUTLOOK FOR RAIN UNCERTAIN IN QUEENSLAND

The rainfall outlook across Queensland for the coming months is uncertain, with the main indicator, the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), fluctuating wildly.

That is the conclusion from climate scientists from the Beattie Government’s new Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence (QCCCE).

The Minister for Natural Resources and Water, Craig Wallace, today released the QCCCE’s first monthly Climate Outlook report, which aims to give Queenslanders expert advice on the latest climate trends.

At this time of year, climatologists monitor the SOI closely as a guide to rainfall in coming months.

The Climate Outlook report says: “For there to be an overall widespread and sustained improvement in probabilities of above-average rainfall across Queensland, the SOI would have to ‘lock-in’ to positive values for one month to the next.

“Currently with the SOI fluctuating around a neutral average-state, the rainfall outlook for the coming months across Queensland is uncertain,” Climate Outlook says.

“Instead of being in a La Nina or El Nino event, the climatologists say we seem to be in El Neutral,” Mr Wallace said.

The Beattie Government opened the Climate Change Centre of Excellence, the first centre of its kind in Australia, in March. Its role is to help Queensland plan for and adapt to climate change.

The August Climate Outlook says Queensland recorded the warmest Autumn on record followed by record cold daytime maximum temperatures in June.

Media outlets are free to reproduce the Climate Outlook report in its entirety. The report is at http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/climatechange/climate_outlook.html

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.