The Bureau of Meteorology uses (including automatic and volunteer-read stations). The national average is calculated using the climatological mean over the standard 30‑year period (currently 1991–2020).
is the second-driest continent on Earth after Antarctica . Its rainfall is characterized by extreme variability, with most of the land receiving very little water annually.
Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth. While the continental average annual rainfall is approximately , this figure is statistically misleading due to extreme geographical disparities. The continent is characterized by a distinct pattern: a wet, tropical north; a wet, temperate south-east; and an arid, desert interior. Rainfall variability is a defining feature of the Australian climate, heavily influenced by large-scale climate drivers such as El Niño and La Niña. australia's average rainfall
For localized data, you can use the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) Climate Tables to find station-specific averages. Australia's changing climate - CSIRO
Analysis of Bureau of Meteorology data (1900–2024) shows: The Bureau of Meteorology uses (including automatic and
National area-averaged rainfall reached 596 mm (28% above average), making it the wettest year since 2011.
Unlike many other continents where rainfall is relatively predictable year-to-year, Australia experiences high inter-annual variability. Its rainfall is characterized by extreme variability, with
The long-term national average is approximately 419 mm (16 inches) .