For a few blissful days this week, Sydney’s summer felt a lot like, well, summer. However, this brief respite from the rain is set to end on March 23, as the heavens reopen with wet weather forecast for at least the next week.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued a warning to people living in flood-prone areas of Greater Sydney, urging them to remain on high alert. More than 100 millimetres of rain is set to fall on the Greater Sydney region between March 23-27, and the risk of flash floods is high, BOM’s alert said.
Despite the handful of sunny days Sydney has enjoyed recently, the water table remains saturated, as rivers and water catchment areas across the state have not had sufficient time to dry out since the flood emergency began three weeks ago. And weather experts are now warning that much of 2022 could remain wet on Australia's East Coast. Trade winds in the Southern Hemisphere are stronger than usual, which will delay the weakening of the La Niña-powered weather systems that have been inundating NSW.
However, advanced modelling by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is hinting at a silver lining to the dark clouds that have become such a familiar sight in the Sydney sky. Projections of both Australian and European weather patterns suggest a post-La Niña neutral phase should be in effect by next summer. This will produce far less rain and fewer extreme weather events. So don’t throw out your beach towel yet – you’re likely going to need it by the end of the year.