Relationships between monthly anomalies of Australian region sea-surface temperature and Victorian rainfall

The relationship of monthly anomalies of sea-surface temperature (SST) over the Australian region and rainfall over the state of Victoria is investigated for the study period of 1970-1980 (132 months). The procedure used is to cross-correlate the time-series of the major Varimax rotated principal component patterns of the two fields. The correlations are performed synchronously, and at lead and lag, with the time-series monthly stratified. For six of the pairings of rainfall patterns with SST patterns significant correlations are found. These results represent relationships between rainfall anomalies centred in the northern, central, eastern, and south-western parts of the State, and SST patterns centred in various locations around the Australian coastline. Examination of the correlations at lead and lag, and of the pressure anomaly patterns associated with rainfall patterns; suggests that, in most cases, the SST and rainfall patterns are not directly related. It appears that primarily the apparent relationships are due to both the rainfall and SST patterns. responding to an initiating atmospheric circulation anomaly. However, for SST off the northwest coast of the continent and rainfall in northern and central Victoria the results indicate the possible existence of a direct causal relationship.