Rainfall in Central Australia: 5–10 Inches a Year, Highly Variable

Central Australia is arid. Annual averages:

• Alice Springs: ~11 in (280 mm)
• Uluru (Ayers Rock): ~12 in (300 mm)
• Simpson Desert areas: <5 in (125 mm)

Rain falls in unpredictable bursts—summer monsoonal incursions or winter fronts. Years may pass with <2 in; then a single storm drops 6 in. Evaporation exceeds rainfall 10:1.

Climate change is increasing intensity but not reliability. Water security depends on groundwater (Great Artesian Basin) and careful management.