Southern Annular Mode (SAM)

• The SAM index is currently positive (as of 2 April 2024).
• Forecasts indicate SAM will remain positive for almost a week, before moving to neutral and remaining neutral for at least one week.
• The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) refers to the north-south shift of rain-bearing westerly winds and weather systems in the Southern Ocean compared to their usual position. This indicator can be quite volatile and generally influences weather conditions on 1-to-3-week timescales.
• Historically SAM has little influence on Australian rainfall patterns in autumn.