Canberra-Queanbeyan sits in southeastern Australia’s temperate zone, where rainfall is spread fairly evenly through the year but tends to peak in the cooler months, and the region’s biggest flood risk comes from prolonged rain events tied to La Nina conditions.
Australia’s planned capital sits along the Molonglo River, whose level is closely monitored during the region’s wetter periods. The 2022 floods across much of southeastern Australia, driven by a series of La Nina years, showed how saturated catchments can turn even a routine rain event into major river flooding, which is why the Bureau of Meteorology’s radar network is closely watched here. Learn more: Flash Flood Warning Signs on Radar · Open the full Rain Map