The bureau’s Andrew Watkins said drier than average conditions had emerged in some areas during summer.
"Australia's key climate drivers are easing and expected to be neutral over the coming months,” Dr Watkins said.
“When our climate drivers are more neutral, autumn rainfall in southern Australia has generally been lower than average over recent decades.“
La Niña is nearing its end in the Pacific Ocean, with conditions likely to be neutral (neither El Niño nor La Niña) during autumn.
The Indian Ocean Dipole is neutral and has little influence on Australia's climate during the northern wet season, which extends through until April.
“With drier conditions emerging in some areas over summer, and dry and warm conditions likely in autumn, some areas may continue to have below average rainfall over coming months,” Dr Watkins said.
Australia's fire agencies have identified that most of Australia has normal bushfire potential during autumn.
There is also a continued risk of grassfires across southern Australia after abundant vegetation growth during the second-wettest spring on record in 2022 dried over summer.
February wrap
Rainfall was below average for much of NSW and most of northern and eastern Victoria during February, BOM said in its monthly weather summary.
While the start of the month saw a deep low pressure system travel out of the Southern Ocean bringing a cold outbreak and February snowfalls across alpine regions of south-eastern Australia, around the middle of the month heatwave conditions affected many areas of Australia.
February 17 was the hottest day for many centres across the region with Kyabram, Echuca, Bendigo, Swan Hill and Deniliquin all sizzling with maximum temperatures above 41℃.
In what was probably a relief for some, areas in northern Victoria and southern NSW recorded less than 5mm in February, including Kerang (3.8mm), Kyabram (4.4mm), Swan Hill (0.2mm), Yarrawonga (4.8mm) and Deniliquin (2.4mm).
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