The 2024–2025 hydrological year officially ended on 30 September, recording one of the lowest rainfall levels in over a century. According to preliminary data, the total average rainfall reached 312.5 millimetres- just 62% of the normal annual average of 503 millimetres (based on the 1961–1990 reference period)- marking a year of severe drought.
According to Kitasweather, this was the eighth driest hydrological year since records began in 1901.
Of the twelve months in the hydrological year, one was extremely wet with rainfall exceeding 130% of the average (November 2024), one was very wet with 111–120% of normal rainfall (December 2024), and one was near normal at 91–110% (May 2025). April 2025 was dry with 71–80% of the average, while the remaining eight months were severely dry with rainfall equal to or below 70% of the normal value (October 2024, January, February, March, June, July, August, and September 2025).
The report adds that the 2024–2025 hydrological year ranked fourth worst (out of 38 years) in terms of water inflows to the island’s dams since records began in 1987–1988, with total inflows reaching just 18.664 million cubic metres.
While this summer was not among the hottest on record, it still ranked as the sixth highest for the frequency of 40°C days over the past 43 years at the Athalassa radiosonde station.
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