Outlook for autumn

BoM forecasts a hotter and drier than average three months

AFTER a summer which was hotter and drier than average for Toowoomba, comes an autumn with similar conditions.

Toowoomba’s mean maximum temperature over summer was 29.7 degrees, which is 1.9 degrees above average.

The lack of rainfall was also a concern with only 73mm falling, compared to an average of 298mm.

The March to May outlook issued by the Bureau of Meteorology indicates a similar dry season with warmer than average days and nights for the entire country.

The chances of it being warmer than median for both days and nights are greater than 80% for most of the country, including Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.

The mean maximum temperature for Toowoomba in autumn is 23.1 degrees, and the mean minimum temperature is 13.2 degrees.

Our mean rainfall is 81.3mm for March, 26.8mm for April and 37.1mm for May.

BoM predicts a 50 per cent chance of an El Nino developing from autumn. This is double the normal chance.

El Nino events typically mean drier conditions.

Senior climatologist Andrew Watkins said if BoM’s forecasts were correct, heatwaves could persist into this season.

“In terms of temperatures autumn days and nights are very likely to be warmer than average,” he said.

“This outlook along with very dry soils inland means heatwave may continue into autumn.”