A quarterly climate tracker from the Actuaries Institute shows Australia experienced its wettest spring since 2010, based on data collected by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

The Australian Actuaries Climate Index released today says above-average rainfall was recorded last spring, with high volumes of rainfall in November and parts of NSW and Queensland hit by flooding during the month.

La Nina likely led to the above-average rainfall seen towards the end of the spring season, the Actuaries Institute said.

The institute’s Climate Risk Working Group Convenor Rade Musulin says the development leads to wetter than usual weather for eastern, northern and central parts of Australia.

The climate index, launched in November 2018, is an objective measure of extreme weather conditions and changes to sea levels.

Its quarterly update shows changes in the frequency of extreme high and low temperatures, heavy precipitation, dry days, strong winds and changes in sea levels across 12 Australian regions that are climatically similar.

Each season is compared to the same season in previous years, and against a reference period from 1981-2010.

Today’s update suggests the extreme low temperature index for Australia last spring was the lowest it has been since 2011.

“La Nina will continue through the Summer of 2021/2022, increasing the possibility of above average cyclone activity,” the update says.

“It may also decrease the severity of the upcoming bushfire season if it results in wetter and cooler weather.”