Overview

• The Bureau of Meteorology predicts above-average day and nighttime temperatures nationwide this winter.
• June and July rainfall is expected to hover near normal for most populated areas, with drier pockets in southern Victoria, south-west Western Australia and Tasmania.
• From July to September, large parts of northern and central Australia are favoured to receive above-average rainfall as the Indian Ocean Dipole shifts into its wet phase.
• The Australian and New Zealand Council for Fire and Emergency Services has warned of an unseasonal winter bushfire risk in drought-stricken parts of South Australia and Victoria.
• Agronomist Martin Colbert says drought-hit western Victoria needs immediate above-average winter rain to support crop germination and recovery.