Jacobus Cronje, 31 May 2016, 7:09 AM UTC
Autumn wrap-up amidst winter's arrival
Chilly mornings and late season rainfall across NSW is in stark contrast to most of autumn.
Although the last couple of mornings have seen large areas across the state drop to below freezing before sunrise, above-average temperatures and unseasonably dry conditions have dominated the landscape during the last three months.
In autumn, Walgett in the North West Slopes and Plains received 58.4mm, while Dubbo's total in the in the Central West was just shy of 97mm, both nearly 30mm below their respective long-term seasonal average.
There were some low rainfall totals in the north, with Bourke only receiving about 60mm of its average 94mm for autumn, and Wilcannia in the Upper Western received 75mm this season, 10mm shy of the seasonal average.
As seen across most of the state, daytime maximum and evening temperatures also remained two-to-three degrees warmer for these areas, right up until the end of May.
But some areas, while warmer than usual, received significantly more rainfall than expected. The Riverina received particularly healthy May totals, with Wagga Wagga receiving 20mm more than the long-term average. Albury had its wettest May in 16 years with 108mm, an impressive 57mm above the average, but also its warmest autumn in 60 years of records.
Looking ahead, it's likely that patchy rain in the east and west of the state will become more widespread heading into the weekend, with much of the state getting a good start for winter rainfall.
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