IF four-year-old Patrick Tracey looks chuffed to be playing in this never-ending stream of water, it could be because so little of the stuff has fallen from the sky lately.

Today marks the end of summer, and if February's rainfall statistics are anything to go by, Cairns may have had one of its driest and hottest summers in years.

It's been the driest February since 1990, with only 96mm of rain falling in Cairns.

That's well below the 455mm that usually drenches the city in February, but not quite as low as the mere 30.4mm recorded in 1990.

It's also been hotter than usual this month, with the average maximum temperature reaching 32.5C, higher than the historical February average of 31.2C.

The weather bureau won't know if this unusually dry summer has set any records until today's figures are factored into their calculations.

But forecasters have confirmed a change is on the way this week as the year's wettest month begins.

"We're expecting a surge in the monsoon over the next few days, so that usually bodes well for an increase in rainfall locally," weather bureau duty forecaster Greg Connorssaid.

The wet weather should arrive by the weekend.

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