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Monday, December 02, 2019, 15:51
Drought-stricken Australia endures driest spring in 120 yrs of records
By Xinhua
Monday, December 02, 2019, 15:51 By Xinhua

SYDNEY Australia has clocked its driest spring in 120 years of recorded history, the country's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) revealed on Monday.

In its spring climate wrap-up, the BoM said that the majority of Australia received rainfall which was well below average and that a number of recording stations, right across the country, observed their driest spring ever.

Rainfall for spring was below very much below average for most of Australia, and overall it was Australia's driest spring on record

ALSO READ: Crippling drought leaves Aussie rural towns with water crisis

Spring 2019 was also Australia's fifth hottest on record with the highest temperature at 47.1 degrees celsius, recorded in mid-November in Western Australia.

"Rainfall for spring was below very much below average for most of Australia, and overall it was Australia's driest spring on record," reads the report.

"The prolonged abnormally low rainfall experienced over eastern Australia continues to have significant impact on communities and the environment."

Record hot and dry conditions have hit many rural farming communities particularly hard with water supplies for some falling towards absolute zero and prompting strict regulations on water usage.

Sydney's water supply dropped below 50 percent earlier in the year and is on track to drop below 40 percent early 2020, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian preemptively announcing more stringent controls on water.

READ MORE: Australia offers drought ravaged farmers US$688m in cheap loans

The conditions have also made 2019 a particularly bad bushfire season thus far, with wildfires igniting large swathes of bush more ferociously than in years before.

"Extremely dry conditions and very much above average temperatures led to increased fire risk across New South Wales and Queensland during spring," reads the report.

"Several large and dangerous fires have been burning in both States since early September, resulting in loss of both property and lives."

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