The Albany Advertiser says – Albany breaks 137-year rainfall record – reading on we find that 2015 was the driest year in 137 years of records. The article says this is “…according to the bureau’s annual climate statement…” that is for WA. The Albany Advertiser does not tell you that Albany is the sole and lonely place listed as having “Record lowest annual total rainfall”.

So in all the huge area of WA only one BoM rainfall station out of about 2,200 odd in WA recorded the “Record lowest annual total rainfall”. And this of course was worthy of a media article because beating up bad news about rain has been an industry in Perth & SW WA for near a decade and a half. It is true of course that SW WA has seen declining rain over several decades – and WA Govt water authorities have lead the charge claiming that “climate change has taken our rain”. Yet this conveniently forgets the point that other areas – for example Northern Australia have experienced increased rain. So it is just as logical to say rain varies all the time at varying timescales in various regions and places and the reasons are likely as yet not fully understood by mankind