Residents in rain-drenched eastern Australia better get used to the wet summer - there's no sign of it easing before March.
The latest national seasonal rainfall outlook is predicting south-east Queensland and eastern NSW will experience a wetter season than normal from January.
Brisbane and Sydney rainfall for 2011 already has topped the long-term average.
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On the NSW north coast, places such as Coffs Harbour have reported an annual dumping of more than a third of their average rain.
On the Central Coast, rainfall for the year is up nearly 50 per cent on the average.
The Bureau of Meteorology says a persistently warm Indian Ocean and cool conditions in the tropical Pacific associated with the La Nina are driving the summer outlook.
Western parts of Western Australia also are likely to experience a wetter season than normal.
But parts of central and southern Australia are more likely to have a drier season, the bureau says.
Southeastern Australia can expect warmer days between January and March, while WA is likely to experience more cooler days than average.
