Mildura, Ouyen and Swan Hill forecast to reach 41C on Saturday
Two weeks into autumn and northern Victoria and southern NSW are in for a Saturday scorcher. See what’s forecast.
Northern Victorian farming districts will bake in 40-plus degree temperatures on Saturday, placing extra pressure on what subsoil moisture levels remain after a hot summer.
A fortnight into autumn, Mildura, Swan Hill and Ouyen are forecast to hit 41C and Birchip 40C, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Kerang, Horsham, Nhill, Warracknabeal, Echuca, Shepparton and Yarrawonga are all predicted to hit 39C, continuing the extremely hot and dry start to 2025.
Across the border in NSW, Hay and Jerilderie both have forecast top temperatures of 41C on Saturday before milder conditions of 23C arrive on Monday.
The cool change will sweep through Victoria on Sunday and by Monday temperatures in Mildura, Swan Hill and Ouyen will have dropped to 22C.
But there are no substantial rain totals in the seven-day outlook.
Mixed farmer Peter Lawless at Burramine, near Yarrawonga, remains optimistic about the season despite coming out of the hottest summer for “five or six years”.
“There are a few sprinkles of rain going around that is keeping the dust down, but nothing substantial,” he said.
“Everybody would be quite happy if we got a shower of rain at the end of March. That would be ideal.
“There is no great panic at this stage. A lot of people will start their cropping programs in early to mid-April and with fire permits opening up, people are starting to burn a bit of stubble.”
Driscoll Ag senior agronomist at Bendigo, Josh McLeod, said it had been hot and humid in the area for two weeks.
“We had a few showers delivering from 1mm to 10mm in the past seven days, but we are still seeing daytime temperatures of more than 30C,” he said.
Crops of canola, wheat and clover on irrigation were being sown but the region was still looking for some rainfall and an autumn break before dryland sowing starts.
“There is a chance of us getting some rain on Sunday,” he said.
While the hot weather continues to put pressure on livestock water storages there are some farmers who have welcomed warmer conditions.
Hillston, NSW cotton grower Paul Cleton said the run of hot daytime temperatures was welcome in his area, but rain would be needed for those wanting to sow winter crops next month.
“We have had hot days, and this area is expecting a cool change to come through on Monday; it’s been reasonably warm,” he said.
Mr Cleton said the temperature on Wednesday was 37C, and it was expected to get to 36C on Thursday.
The warm temperatures were a good thing for cotton, with picking expected to start in the region in the second week of April.
However, Mr Cleton said up to 100mm would be needed later in the season to shape things up for winter sowing.
“We thought we were going to get rain from the cyclone, but nothing really arrived.”
Mr Cleton measured 10mm in the gauge on Monday morning after Sunday evening rain.
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