Analysis of rainfall trend in Australia

Australia is renowned for its highly variable rainfall patterns, which make it a continent marked by both droughts and flooding rains. With global warming driving atmospheric warming and altering weather systems, this variability is projected to intensify. Despite this, the specific trends and extent of rainfall changes across the country remain uncertain. Within this context, in this study, the temporal variability of rainfall in Australia was examined at annual, seasonal, and monthly scales using rainfall data spanning 1920 to 2020. Specifically, non-parametric tests were employed to assess the magnitude and significance of rainfall trends across 505 rainfall series within the Australian region. Results showed a widespread increase in rainfall in summer and spring throughout the study area. By contrast, autumn and winter showed a marked decrease in rainfall, with the greatest evidence along the Queensland coast and in southern Western Australia. If these trends are confirmed in the coming years, these deficits could limit water resources, affecting agricultural areas, the conservation of natural areas, and national parks. In addition, these changes in rainfall could increase the risk of droughts and wildfires, which could also have socio-economic impacts.