Australia witnesses second wettest summer

March 7th, 2011 - 7:58 pm ICT by IANS  

Sydney, March 7 (IANS) Australia has witnessed its second wettest summer this year since records first began being maintained 111 years ago. The above-average rainfall is expected to continue.

“Nationally we averaged 354.7 mm - 70 percent above normal and second only behind the infamous summer of 1973-74 when 419.8 mm was recorded,” AAP quoted Weather Channel meteorologist Tom Saunders as saying.

He said all states and territories recorded above average falls.

Victoria has never had a wetter summer and it was Western Australia’s second wettest.

South Australia had its third wettest summer, New South Wales its fifth, Queensland its sixth and the Northern Territory its eighth.

However, in Tasmania, the summer was well off record levels (17th).

“After a decade of drought, the Murray-Darling Basin also recorded its third wettest summer on record,” Saunders said.

“Looking ahead into autumn, the La Nina (weather phenomenon) is now past its peak and has been weakening since early January.

“However, until the Pacific Ocean returns to neutral in winter we can expect above average rain to continue over most of the country,” he said.

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