Record October temperatures for Hay and Ivanhoe in NSW Riverina

CONCERNS about the deteriorating season have intensified after the mercury soared to record highs this week.

Sheep graze on a bare paddock near Leichardt in central Victoria. A lack of rain in the southern states has seen drought con...

CONCERNS about the deteriorating season have intensified after the mercury soared to record highs in parts of southeast Australia this week.

The spell, which brought temperatures above 40C in some areas, came as most farming districts missed out on rain that delivered up to 40mm in parts of metropolitan Melbourne yesterday.

Ivanhoe (41.4C) and Hay (39.6C) in the NSW Riverina recorded their warmest October days on record on Sunday.

This followed eight consecutive days above 30C for both centres, a feat also achieved at Mildura, in Victoria’s parched Mallee.

The season has cut out in parts of western Victoria and the Riverina, with many farmers turning sheep on failed crops, supplementary feeding livestock, carting water and destocking surplus numbers.

Most towns have recorded less than half their average October rain, with just three days of the month remaining.

Walpeup, in northwest Victoria, hasn’t received a drop and Mildura just 0.6mm of the 29.8mm it would normally get.

Elders agent Mark Newnham said he was trying to draft lambs on a station near Carrathool, east of Hay, yesterday but had to wait in his car for 90 minutes because of dust and howling winds.

Hay has received 6.4mm so far this month — 18 per cent of its October average.

“I tried to put the hat on the side of my head to block the dust but I just couldn’t see the sheep,” Mr Newnham said.

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There are also concerns about the season in the Western District, which Macarthur farmer Hamish Officer, who sold cattle at Hamilton store cattle sale last week, described as “much drier than normal”.

The best falls in the seven days to 9am yesterday were recorded in Gippsland, with Warragul picking up 38mm and Thorpdale 24mm. In northwest Victoria, Rupanyup received 10mm and Warracknabeal 9mm.

Weather bureau duty forecaster Stephen King said Victoria’s best hope for rain this week would be on Friday and Saturday, when showers could deliver up to 5mm in parts of southwest and central Victoria and Gippsland.

Mildura and Hay are both forecast to reach 37C on Friday.

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