Australia just had its record warmest start to a year. Will winter turn it around?

Australia has just recorded its warmest start to a year, while the national water storage has fallen to its lowest level in five years at just 46.4 per cent of capacity. 

It has been a frosty lead-up, but what will winter proper hold?

We're not talking millennium drought levels just yet, but in Sydney water restrictions start from this weekend, and all capital city water storages are down from a year ago, bar Perth. 

Despite recent rain, and snow even in the past few days, soil moisture levels remain relatively low for large parts of the east and west coasts. 

So is this the winter when it could all turn around, when the skies open, the soil gets nicely damp and the dams fill?

The current outlook suggests not.

Read the ABC News story by Kate Doyle - “Australia just had its record warmest start to a year. Will winter turn it around?”