Northern Australia (Darwin, Cairns, Broome) has a . Forget four seasons—here, you have two: the Wet and the Dry.
To understand rainfall in Australia, one must abandon the pursuit of a singular "average" and instead embrace a narrative of contrast, variability, and the tyranny of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation.
The average annual rainfall across the entire Australian continent is approximately per year. what is the average rainfall in australia
To put that in perspective:
Conversely, during years, the trade winds strengthen, piling warm water against the eastern coast. This triggers above-average rainfall, tropical cyclones, and widespread flooding. In these years, the deserts bloom, filling the ephemeral Lake Eyre and transforming the dead heart of the continent into a verdant garden. Northern Australia (Darwin, Cairns, Broome) has a
Have you experienced a wet season downpour in Darwin or a dust storm in the Outback? Drop a comment below – we’d love to hear your rainfall story.
| Region | Annual Rainfall (approx.) | Climate Type | |--------|--------------------------|---------------| | Far North QLD (Cairns) | 2,000mm (79 inches) | Tropical monsoon | | Sydney | 1,222mm (48 inches) | Humid subtropical | | Perth | 730mm (29 inches) | Mediterranean | | Melbourne | 650mm (25.6 inches) | Temperate oceanic | | Adelaide | 540mm (21 inches) | Mediterranean/semi-arid | | Hobart | 615mm (24 inches) | Cool temperate | | Alice Springs | 280mm (11 inches) | Desert | | Birdsville (Qld outback) | 150mm (6 inches) | Arid desert | The average annual rainfall across the entire Australian
So yes, Australia is dry. But where and when that rain falls is the real story.
Is this for a ?
The "Red Centre" and Western Australian deserts are among the driest places on Earth. Some areas receive less than 150mm of rain per year.
In recent decades, Australia’s rainfall patterns have begun to shift significantly. While some northern areas are seeing an increase in tropical rain, the heavily populated southwest and southeast are experiencing a long-term drying trend.