General News
16 March, 2024
Hot and wet summer
IT has been a wet and hot summer for the region, with 1.5m of rain falling in Mareeba over the three months and more than 1.7m inundating Atherton.
![Hot and wet summer - feature photo](https://mareebaexpress-4634.kxcdn.com/img/containers/assets/news/istock-1216988871.jpg/2900e41f24d4170cc5eac93b2384144a.jpg)
Most of the rain recorded was in December, with Mareeba receiving 881mm and Atherton 877mm, but January also delivered, with 397mm for Mareeba and 577mm for Atherton.
February was a little less wet, with 290mm falling in Atherton and 267mm in Mareeba.
The hottest day of summer was on 1 December, when 37.9 degrees Celsius was recorded at Mareeba Airport, with Atherton and Walkamin a touch cooler at 35.6 C on the same day.
The hottest day ever recorded for Mareeba was 38.9 C on Christmas Day in 2019.
The Bureau of Meteorology's long-range forecast is indicating warmer days and nights this autumn, with most of Australia having at least an 80% chance of above average temperatures.
The bureau says summer has been wetter than usual for many areas, with rainfall tracking around 14% above average for Australia overall.
This would be Australia's third-highest summer rainfall total on record during an El Niño, behind 2009-10 and 1994-95.