Warmer winter ahead for most of Australia ..and the north could get more rain

The Winter Climate Outlook shows night-time temperatures will be warmer than average for the majority of the country.

Although winter is the dry season in Northern Australia it could have more rain than usual over the coming months, while parts of southern Australia could be drier than average.

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Maximum temperatures for winter are likely to be warmer than average for tropical northern Australia`

Bureau Climatologist, Dr Lynette Bettio, said this was consistent with observations from the past 20 years, which show a trend towards drier than average conditions in Australia's south during autumn and early winter.

"Our climate drivers are currently neutral, meaning we're not getting El Nio or La Nia bringing particularly dry nor particularly wet conditions to the continent," Dr Bettio said.

"Warmer ocean temperatures to the north of Australia may increase the moisture available, enhancing rainfall and resulting in a wetter than average dry season across much of northern Australia but as it is dry season, rainfall totals will not be high."

It was the coolest autumn for most of Australia since 2015.

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