Are you noticing a drought?

Was up in Port Stephens two weekends ago, all the road side culverts where full of water, as per usual and plenty of feed everywhere. Down here in Goulburn, its starting to dry out but in general pretty good feed still for this time of year. Still we have had bugger all rain so far this year.

Drove down the highway from Goulburn to Benalla / Winton today and half way there its nearly a dust bowl again like it was six or seven years ago. Mind you many of the paddocks were still carrying large stock numbers and they looked the worst by far.

Down across the border not far into Vic there are several properties on the side of the highway with very large dams that have been full for several years, now they are near empty. It's easy to forget that this is a country of boom and bust when it comes to rain.

Shouldn't forget the old El Niño and La Niña effect on our climate and rainfall patterns which has been going on for millennium.

Climate Variability and El Nino

Pic in the Courier Mail of a drought-stricken farmer who is hand-feeding stock, so its on, it seems.

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Originally Posted by Mr Whippy

Heard some one on the wireless a couple of days ago talking about the drought. He reckons that we get one roughly every 7 years. It is about 7 years since the last one.

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We've been three years coming out of the last one that lasted over ten years. Still not returned to normal weather patterns yet.

One of my biggest concerns is the high suicide rate among graziers at the moment. That they cannot cope anymore and get the support they need here worries me. I know quite a number of cockies around the centre of this country and I hate the thought of one of them being next.....decent hard working blokes shouldn't have to come to this while fat arsed politicians try to decide where to have dinner and cocktails and who to try to influence most for their votes.

We had 80mm of rain overnight! Almost had to give the dogs a lifejacket each when they went out this morning.:D. Hope some of it fell where it's needed... Looks like some decent rain through the western part of the state as well.

Glad someone got it.
18mm in my rain gauge this morning.

I think the heaviest rain band was from Kyneton down through here - very heavy of the radar for several hours - red and black on the radar, but it looked like it was raining pretty much everywhere.

Pretty good thunderstorm as well - it went right over the top of us.

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Originally Posted by Tote

We've had 3 pretty good years in Yass, this year we have only had scattered storms since summer and while town is looking dry our farm 50K north has a green tinge due to an inch or so a few weeks back.
Regardless of climate change this has always been the pattern in this country and if you get 3 good years out of five you are in front.
If you want to see green all year round move to England or Louisiana....

Regards,
Tote

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or move to wet north queensland

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Originally Posted by TerryO

Was up in Port Stephens two weekends ago, all the road side culverts where full of water, as per usual and plenty of feed everywhere. Down here in Goulburn, its starting to dry out but in general pretty good feed still for this time of year. Still we have had bugger all rain so far this year.

Drove down the highway from Goulburn to Benalla / Winton today and half way there its nearly a dust bowl again like it was six or seven years ago. Mind you many of the paddocks were still carrying large stock numbers and they looked the worst by far.

Down across the border not far into Vic there are several properties on the side of the highway with very large dams that have been full for several years, now they are near empty. It's easy to forget that this is a country of boom and bust when it comes to rain.

Shouldn't forget the old El Niño and La Niña effect on our climate and rainfall patterns which has been going on for millennium.

Climate Variability and El Nino

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I remember that bloody climate around Goulburn COLD WET DRY WINDY great pub weather during winter, dry hot during summer, great road that leads north

13 MM in my gauge. It is not finished yet. Very black out side, not a good day to be going to the footy.

Looking at the radar there is a large rain band sitting just east of me which is over the catchments.

This is the forecast for my town.

Cloudy. Rain, heavy at times, easing to a shower or two at night. The chance of a thunderstorm until later tonight. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending south to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the evening.

128 km Yarrawonga Radar Loop