Queensland
Queensland’s long-term (1890 to 2023) state-averaged annual rainfall is 618mm. This total is highly variable on both an annual and a decadal basis. State-averaged annual rainfall totals for Queensland have ranged from 276mm in 1902 (during the Federation Drought) to 1,132mm in 2010.
More recently, 2012 (the last of six consecutive wetter-than-average years) was followed by eight years of mainly drier-than-average rainfall conditions (2013 to 2020), with many areas experiencing drought.
After 2020, much of Queensland experienced a return to average or above-average annual rainfall. However, drier-than-average rainfall conditions resumed in Queensland’s southeast during 2023.
- From 2013 to 2020, Queensland’s state-averaged annual rainfall (532mm) was the lowest for any eight years since 1960 to 1967 (530mm).
- The rainfall percentile maps presented below show the changes in the rainfall across Queensland from 2012 to 2023.
- From mid-2015 to early 2017, more than 80% of Queensland was drought-declared under state government processes.
- In 2019, the state-averaged annual rainfall (482mm) was 22% below the long-term average and lowest since 2005 (462 mm). Record low annual rainfall was recorded across much of southeastern Queensland.
- At least 65% of Queensland remained drought-declared until early 2022.
- In 2022, the state-averaged annual rainfall (780mm) was 26% above the long-term average and highest since 2011 (820mm). Record high annual rainfall was recorded in parts of southeastern Queensland.
- At the end of 2023, rainfall totalled 704mm for the year, and only 10% of Queensland remained drought-declared.
- On 1 May 2024, the drought status was finally revoked for any remaining drought-declared government areas.
The rainfall percentile maps presented below show the changes in the rainfall across Queensland from 2012 to 2023.
© Queensland Government
© Queensland Government
