Moderate water deficits, punctuated by more intense pockets, are expected across a large portion of the east and southeast including the Murray-Darling Basin, scattered across the north, and in the southwest tip of the country. Deficits are expected to be intense in Tasmania, pockets along the southeast coast, the southwest tip, Darwin and the Daly River region, and along the southern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Intense deficits are forecast for New Caledonia.
Australia & New Zealand: Severe deficits forecast in Tasmania
The May through July forecast indicates that Australia will transition away from widespread and intense water deficits observed February through April. However, severe to exceptional deficits are forecast for southwestern Western Australia, the Darwin Region of Northern Territory, Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria, much of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland, and New Caledonia. Surpluses are expected to persist in northeastern Queensland, and a large block of surpluses in eastern Kimberly, Western Australia will transition to both deficits and surpluses. After July deficits will continue to retreat in Australia, except in Tasmania, leaving much of the country in near-normal conditions.