Most of Australia have 50:50 odds of receiving average rainfall over summer, with only a pocket in south-west WA and between Sydney and Bundaberg on the east coast likely to receive above average rainfall.
But the latest seasonal outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology also shows there is a shift in the odds favouring lower than normal rainfall over parts of central and southwestern Queensland (see map).
The Bureau says the pattern of seasonal rainfall odds across Australia is mainly a result of continued warmth in the central Indian Ocean.
The Bureau is also predicting daytime temperatures for the March quarter (January to March) to be warmer than normal over the tropical north.
Overnight temperatures are also likely to be higher than normal in the tropical north, as well as for most of the rest of WA.
Across the rest of the country, the chances of a warmer than average summer are between 40pc and 60pc, indicating roughly equal chances of warmer or cooler than normal conditions.
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