Factors in Australia's weather and climate
Many factors affect our weather and climate. It's a very complex system.
Different factors affect different parts of Australia, at different times of year. Sometimes they work together, boosting an effect. They can also cancel each other out.
Some factors can indicate the direction our climate may take, but no one factor determines it. Other weather patterns play a part. There are also influences such as climate change.
Climate indicators
El Niño and La Niña
El Niño and La Niña are part of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It's a natural cycle in the Pacific Ocean that affects global weather and climate. Learn about El Niño and La Niña.
Indian Ocean Dipole
There is a regular change in the difference between sea surface temperatures of the tropical western and eastern Indian Ocean. This is part of the Indian Ocean Dipole. It can affect rainfall and temperature over many parts of Australia. Learn about the Indian Ocean Dipole.
Madden–Julian Oscillation
This pulse of wind, enhanced cloud and rainfall cycles from west to east around the planet in the tropics. It affects tropical weather and climate around the globe. Learn how the Madden–Julian Oscillation affects Australia.
Southern Annular Mode
The Southern Annular Mode can affect rainfall and temperature in southern Australia. It's also called the Antarctic Oscillation. Learn about the Southern Annular Mode.
Weather patterns
Blocking highs
Blocking highs are strong, slow-moving high pressure systems. They disrupt the flow of low pressure systems across southern Australia. They affect our weather and climate in different ways, depending on their location and strength. Learn about blocking highs.
Cut-off lows
Cut-off lows are low pressure systems that break away from a main belt of low pressure south of Australia. They enhance rainfall in southern Australia. Learn about cut-off lows.
East coast lows
These intense low pressure systems form off Australia's east coast. They are most common along the coast of southern Queensland and New South Wales. They can bring heavy rainfall and strong and gusty winds to south-east Australia. Learn about east coast lows in our Severe weather knowledge centre.
Easterly troughs
Easterly troughs feature in the climate patterns of eastern Australia during summer. They bring rainfall to central and inland parts of eastern Australia. Learn about easterly troughs.
Frontal systems
Frontal systems bring rainfall to southern Australia. Cold fronts are the most common in Australia but we can experience warm fronts too. Learn about frontal systems.
Monsoon
The monsoon is a seasonal reversal of winds over parts of the tropics. This change in winds is part of our seasons in northern Australia. Active phases of the monsoon bring heavy rainfall to northern Australia. Learn about the Australian monsoon.
North-west cloudbands
North-west cloudbands are an extensive layer of cloud. They bring rain to much of north-western, central and south-eastern Australia. Learn about north-west cloudbands.
Subtropical ridge
The subtropical ridge is a belt of high pressure around the globe in the middle latitudes. It brings dry and stable conditions to large parts of Australia. Learn about the subtropical ridge.
Trade winds
Trade winds are east to south-easterly winds that blow across much of the southern hemisphere tropics. They affect tropical to subtropical areas of Australia. Learn about trade winds.
Tropical cyclones and tropical lows
Tropical cyclones begin as low pressure systems called tropical lows. Learn more in our Tropical cyclone knowledge centre.
Upper level trough
An upper level trough is a trough of low pressure that forms in the upper level of the atmosphere. It can help cloudbands to form anywhere across the continent.
West coast trough
The west coast trough is a trough of low pressure near Australia's south-west coast. It's a semi-permanent feature of the climate patterns in warmer months. Learn about the west coast trough.