The rainfall was 46% below the previous wet season.
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Average Rainfall
86
Federation drought: heatwaves, bushfires and dust storms associated with >40% livestock losses in Queensland.
Livestocknumbers in Queensland reduced from 6.5M to 2.5M cattle and from 19M to 7M sheep.
Western New South Wales impacted by soil erosion and woody weed infestation (1898/99).
Properties in western New South Wales were abandoned with collapse in carrying capacity, resulting in the Royal Commission investigating financial stress in the Western Division.
Sir Sidney Kidman acquired properties and nearly lost all by 1901 due to the severity and widespread nature of this drought.
Cyclone Mahina struck Bathurst Bay (Cape York) on 4 March 1899. The surrounding region suffered a massive storm surge from the category 5 system, killing over 400 people - the largest death toll of any natural disaster in Australian history. Reports recorded that grass was ripped from the group on the islands offshore andthat fish and dolphins were left in trees 15m above sea level.
Terminology
El Nino - Originally referred specifically to a warming of the sea surface off the coast of Peru, now more generally refers to unusual warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, strongly associated with persistently negative values of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). Generally associated with extended drier periods.
La Nina - Now use to refer to the opposite of El Nino, or events with persistently positive values of the SOI. Generally associated with extended wetter periods.
ENSO Neutral - ENSO refers to the El Nino-Souther Oscillation which fluctuates between two extremes known as El Nino or La Nina (above). Years which do not fall in either extreme are classified as "ENSO Neutral". It is possible to have wet or dry periods associated with "ENSO Neutral" years.