Positive SAM and warm oceans dominate Australia’s winter outlook
The Pacific and Indian Ocean climate drivers remain in a neutral phase, with weather around Australia continuing to be dominated by more local effects. Pacific Ocean climate driver The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has returned to a truer neutral phase, after trending towards a La Niña-like phase during summer. Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) across […]
Long weekend rain and storms to impact Victoria and NSW
An outbreak of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms will impact Victoria and NSW over the coming long weekend. As seen in the synoptic image below, this outbreak of storms and wet weather will be caused by a broad low pressure trough and cold front. Image: Synoptic image for Friday, 25 April. As the weekend goes […]
Tropical Cyclone Errol strengthening near Australia – here’s what to expect
Tropical Cyclone Errol, which formed on Tuesday night, is quickly gaining strength to the north of WA and could turn towards the Kimberley coast later this week. At 8am AWST on Wednesday, Errol was a category two tropical cyclone located roughly 515 km to the north northwest of Broome. The system is moving west and […]
Tropical cyclone to form near WA
A tropical cyclone is likely to form off the north coast of WA in a matter of days, with signs that it could become a severe tropical cyclone next week. A tropical low is currently developing over the Timor Sea to the north of Darwin. The circulation centre of this developing low can be clearly […]
Equatorial Rossby wave brings increased tropical cyclone risk to northern Australia
A pulse in a lesser-known tropical wave will bring increased risk of tropical cyclone activity over northern Australia in the coming week. What are tropical waves? Earth’s tropical atmosphere contains a number of large-scale waves that influence cloud and rainfall patterns throughout the year. The most well-known tropical wave is called the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), […]
Why Queensland has been getting all the rain
Multiple flooding events have occurred in Queensland since the start of 2025, but why? Last month was Australia’s hottest and 4th-wettest March on record. Queensland was especially wet, registering its 3rd wettest March on record. This moisture combined with the very warm temperatures around the country to bring the warmest March minimum temperatures on record […]
How DTN’s Flood Risk System helps businesses across Queensland
A deep feed of moisture streaming from a monsoonal burst has brought widespread flooding to much of Queensland this week. Moisture started streaming over the north of Queensland last week. With a 301mm rain day last week, Townsville has now set monthly station records with: 1198mm in February (nearly four times the monthly average of […]
Tropical Cyclone Courtney has developed northwest of WA
Tropical Cyclone Courtney, currently a Category 1 system, developed in the early morning of Wednesday, March 26, marking the eighth tropical cyclone of the Australian season. Tropical Cyclone Courtney was slow to develop from a tropical low located south of Bali over the weekend, gradually tracking west-southwest over the past few days. Early on Wednesday, […]
Tropical cyclone potential increasing near Australia
Australia’s tropics will be invigorated by a pulse of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) this week, increasing the risk of tropical cyclone activity near Australia. A surge of monsoonal winds crossing the Maritime Continent will cause an injection of moisture-laden air into the tropics near Australia over the coming week. This monsoon burst will coincide with […]