Far northern Queensland stood out from a largely dry state in September. The Bureau of Meteorology's monthly summary says rainfall was above to very much above average across far northern areas, while much of Queensland recorded below to very much below average totals.
Across the state as a whole, September rainfall averaged 3.8 millimetres — 70 per cent below the 1961–1990 average. The Bureau described it as Queensland's driest September since 2023. Its data also lists Cooktown Airport among sites with a record-high September rainfall total, at 37.4 millimetres.
The contrast matters for Cairns and surrounding communities, but last month's rain is not a forecast for the wet season. In its outlook issued on 1 October, the Bureau said below-average rainfall was likely for parts of far northern Australia during October to December, while much of eastern Australia had roughly equal chances of wetter or drier conditions. Residents should use current local forecasts and warnings for short-term decisions.
ABC Far North reported on the regional contrast on 10 October. The figures and outlook above are from the Bureau's September Queensland climate summary and 1 October long-range outlook.
Illustration disclosure: The accompanying image is AI-generated editorial artwork showing a general wet–dry landscape contrast. It is not a photograph of a reported location or event.
