Annual precipitation in Australia
Australia: Annual precipitation was 454.91 millimeters in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
454.91 millimeters
Change on year
down 17.3%
World rank
156th
of 192 countries
All-time high
713.66 millimeters
in 1974
All-time low
242.66 millimeters
in 2019
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in Australia, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
In 2025, annual precipitation in Australia stood at 454.91 millimeters.
That represents a change of down 17.3% on the previous year and up 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in Australia peaked at 713.66 millimeters in 1974 and was at its lowest, 242.66 millimeters, in 2019.
Australia ranks 156th of 192 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Annual precipitation in Australia, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 381.21 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 402.51 millimeters | +5.6% |
| 1942 | 445.45 millimeters | +10.7% |
| 1943 | 390.77 millimeters | -12.3% |
| 1944 | 437.25 millimeters | +11.9% |
| 1945 | 412.51 millimeters | -5.7% |
| 1946 | 319.29 millimeters | -22.6% |
| 1947 | 399.74 millimeters | +25.2% |
| 1948 | 396.75 millimeters | -0.7% |
| 1949 | 539.12 millimeters | +35.9% |
| 1950 | 559.73 millimeters | +3.8% |
| 1951 | 320.73 millimeters | -42.7% |
| 1952 | 351.5 millimeters | +9.6% |
| 1953 | 420.21 millimeters | +19.5% |
| 1954 | 369.07 millimeters | -12.2% |
| 1955 | 507.23 millimeters | +37.4% |
| 1956 | 565.43 millimeters | +11.5% |
| 1957 | 370.42 millimeters | -34.5% |
| 1958 | 334.56 millimeters | -9.7% |
| 1959 | 392.29 millimeters | +17.3% |
| 1960 | 430.67 millimeters | +9.8% |
| 1961 | 317.6 millimeters | -26.3% |
| 1962 | 437.75 millimeters | +37.8% |
| 1963 | 498.45 millimeters | +13.9% |
| 1964 | 429.29 millimeters | -13.9% |
| 1965 | 385.32 millimeters | -10.2% |
| 1966 | 373.58 millimeters | -3.0% |
| 1967 | 418.95 millimeters | +12.1% |
| 1968 | 512.18 millimeters | +22.3% |
| 1969 | 348.67 millimeters | -31.9% |
| 1970 | 309.45 millimeters | -11.2% |
| 1971 | 426.66 millimeters | +37.9% |
| 1972 | 351.35 millimeters | -17.7% |
| 1973 | 572.64 millimeters | +63.0% |
| 1974 | 713.66 millimeters | +24.6% |
| 1975 | 570.23 millimeters | -20.1% |
| 1976 | 499.18 millimeters | -12.5% |
| 1977 | 453.04 millimeters | -9.2% |
| 1978 | 504.71 millimeters | +11.4% |
| 1979 | 443.9 millimeters | -12.0% |
| 1980 | 412 millimeters | -7.2% |
| 1981 | 524.85 millimeters | +27.4% |
| 1982 | 400.8 millimeters | -23.6% |
| 1983 | 505.5 millimeters | +26.1% |
| 1984 | 554.88 millimeters | +9.8% |
| 1985 | 412.63 millimeters | -25.6% |
| 1986 | 400.56 millimeters | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 469.45 millimeters | +17.2% |
| 1988 | 456.88 millimeters | -2.7% |
| 1989 | 457.74 millimeters | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 417.55 millimeters | -8.8% |
| 1991 | 454.98 millimeters | +9.0% |
| 1992 | 443.11 millimeters | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 481.63 millimeters | +8.7% |
| 1994 | 324.85 millimeters | -32.6% |
| 1995 | 509.56 millimeters | +56.9% |
| 1996 | 437.57 millimeters | -14.1% |
| 1997 | 510.73 millimeters | +16.7% |
| 1998 | 538.8 millimeters | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 524.86 millimeters | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 656.68 millimeters | +25.1% |
| 2001 | 500.8 millimeters | -23.7% |
| 2002 | 296.49 millimeters | -40.8% |
| 2003 | 437.7 millimeters | +47.6% |
| 2004 | 447.54 millimeters | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 354.92 millimeters | -20.7% |
| 2006 | 432.43 millimeters | +21.8% |
| 2007 | 470.32 millimeters | +8.8% |
| 2008 | 429.25 millimeters | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 417.44 millimeters | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 624.74 millimeters | +49.7% |
| 2011 | 653.07 millimeters | +4.5% |
| 2012 | 433.57 millimeters | -33.6% |
| 2013 | 391.96 millimeters | -9.6% |
| 2014 | 446.68 millimeters | +14.0% |
| 2015 | 412.43 millimeters | -7.7% |
| 2016 | 484.46 millimeters | +17.5% |
| 2017 | 442.17 millimeters | -8.7% |
| 2018 | 367.29 millimeters | -16.9% |
| 2019 | 242.66 millimeters | -33.9% |
| 2020 | 468.11 millimeters | +92.9% |
| 2021 | 476.02 millimeters | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 554.07 millimeters | +16.4% |
| 2023 | 435.07 millimeters | -21.5% |
| 2024 | 549.94 millimeters | +26.4% |
| 2025 | 454.91 millimeters | -17.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 454.91 millimeters is below the median for high income countries, which is 891.63 millimeters, 51% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Australia's 454.91 millimeters is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,984 millimeters, 23% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 412.46 millimeters | 319.29 millimeters | 539.12 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 419.12 millimeters | 320.73 millimeters | 565.43 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 415.25 millimeters | 317.6 millimeters | 512.18 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 484.48 millimeters | 309.45 millimeters | 713.66 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 459.53 millimeters | 400.56 millimeters | 554.88 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 464.36 millimeters | 324.85 millimeters | 538.8 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 444.36 millimeters | 296.49 millimeters | 656.68 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 449.9 millimeters | 242.66 millimeters | 653.07 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 489.69 millimeters | 435.07 millimeters | 554.07 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More climate change data for Australia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 1.30 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 118,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 34,162 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 84,416 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 128.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 3,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 12,473 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 10,966 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,507 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 41.38 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual precipitation in Australia?
- Annual precipitation in Australia was 454.91 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 713.66 millimeters in 1974.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 242.66 millimeters in 2019.
- How does Australia rank for annual precipitation?
- Australia ranks 156th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.