2024 rainfall: Five towns in western Victoria record no rain in February

Despite a promising start to the year, several parts of the state have experienced a dry spell this month. Here’s what it means for the season ahead.

Large parts of western Victoria have gone from feast to famine for rainfall in January and February with five towns experiencing no rain in the last month of summer.

Wycheproof, Stawell, Hopetoun, Nhill and Horsham all had at least 68.8mm in January before rain literally stopped.

It was a similar tale for Charlton, Warracknabeal, Ararat, Hamilton and Casterton, which all had less than 1mm in February after summer soakings the previous month.

Farmers remain optimistic the early summer rains have provided sufficient subsoil moisture levels to withstand the dry run as they eye off a start to planting winter crops in late April.

Nathan Williams, who farms at Beulah near Hopetoun where 69.6mm fell in January, said he remained optimistic about planting conditions.

“It’s got a bit dry the last month or so,” he said.

“But there is still good subsoil moisture after some nice rains in December-January.

“It’s certainly going to get us off to a pretty good start, but fingers crossed we get good rain in April.

“That would be ideal.”

Further south, Warrnambool had only 1.2mm in February after 108.4mm for January.

Winslow dairy farmer Bernie Free. Picture: Karla Northcott

Bernie Free, a dairy farmer at Winslow, north of Warrnambool, said it had become a “traditional dry looking summer now” in the absence of any meaningful rain in February.

“It’s quite amazing how quickly it has dried off compared to what it was looking like at the start of January,” he said.

“Everybody got rain late December.

“But now everybody has missed out on rain for a month or so after we all thought we had dodged a bullet with a hot, dry summer.

“A good autumn break in the middle to late March would be perfect from here.”

An analysis of Bureau of Meteorology weather data by The Weekly Times revealed Lake Eildon had the most rain in regional Victoria in January with 183.2mm, closely followed by Redesdale on 182.8mm with Bendigo also drenched with 171.6mm.

Summer thunderstorms brought big rainfall totals across regional Victoria in January before towns in the west of the state have had no rain in February.

Kerang has had 158mm or 42 per cent of its long-term calendar-year average in the first two months of the year.

Omeo had the highest February rainfall total in Victoria with 64.8mm, following on from 80.6mm in January.

West Wyalong in the northern Riverina has had 54 per cent of its long-term yearly average with back-to-back months of 193.4mm and 49.4mm to start 2024.

Lake Cargelligo and Tumbarumba also had 100mm-plus totals in January.