The last two months across much of Victoria and parts of New South Wales and outback Queensland have been notably drier than average.

Wangaratta has had notably dry conditions for both August and September with rainfall of 21.8mms for August and 21.2mms for September (up to 27 September).

The rural city's yearly rainfall to date has reached 341.4mms, which is 160mms below the average for the first nine months of the year.

We had above average rainfall for both June and July in Wangaratta this year.

A very similar rainfall pattern also occurred in 1957 and 2007.

Above average rainfall did occur in December 1957 and February of 1958 after a spring season which was notably warmer and drier with maximum temperatures topping 36 degrees by early November 1957.

The spring of 2007 was also notably warmer but heavy rain and thunderstorms arrived by 3 November and then came a very hot summer in 2007-08 and more heavy rain on 3 December and again just before Christmas 2007 and again about January 19, 2008.

Last week the first heavy rainfalls of the coming wet season arrived at the top end of the Northern Territory.

At Douglas River, 61mms fell on 22 September which was the wettest September day in 57 years of record.

This early arrival of this wet season will to some extent result in above average rainfalls by November in Victoria, NSW and also along the north Queensland coast where places like Cairns, Atherton, Innisfail, Babinda and South Johnstone have had one of their wettest Septembers either since 1886, 1998 and 1981.

This will impact upon us by providing a hotter and wetter summer season.