Spring rain rolls on with more on the horizon
Large swathes of eastern Victoria and southern NSW can expect upwards of 25mm in the next eight days, following good falls last week.
SOUTHEAST Australia is inching its way towards a wetter-than-average October with some farming districts on track for more than 25mm in the next week.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology’s outlook, large swathes of eastern Victoria and southern NSW can expect 25mm or more in the next eight days, with some elevated on track for more than 50mm. Parts of central and northern Victoria and the Western District could receive 15-25mm, while the Wimmera and Mallee and are tipped to receive 5-15mm.
This week’s forecast rain follows good falls across areas of Victoria and southern NSW in the past week.
According to the BOM the best rain was in Victoria’s North East and southern NSW, with major grain-growing regions receiving welcome top-up falls on the countdown to harvest.
The best falls in the farming areas of the North East were at Taggerty, which picked up 44mm in the seven days to 9am yesterday, Wangaratta (41mm), Violet Town and Warrenbayne (36mm), Flowerdale (29mm) and Lake Eildon (24mm). In Gippsland, Ensay recorded 47mm, Erica 44mm, Orbost 33mm, Warragul 29mm, Thorpdale 27mm, Omeo 25mm, Sale 19mm,
Annuello topped in the Mallee with 23mm, while Swan Hill measured 22mm, Ultima 12mm and Mildura and Woomelang each picked up 10mm. In the Wimmera, Donald recorded 21mm and St Arnaud 14mm.
The best falls in northern Victoria were at Kyabram (29mm), Tatura (22mm) and Bendigo and Shepparton (21mm) while after big falls the previous week it was a drier seven days in western Victoria, with the best falls at Benwerrin (21mm), Winchelsea (16mm) and Colac (15mm).
In NSW, the best falls were at Tumut (47mm), Wagga Wagga (32mm), Narrandera (31mm), Tumbarumba (28mm), Khancoban (27mm),
The rain in the past week has pushed a number of centres over its annual rainfall totals.
For the year to date, the best rain compared to long-term averages has fallen in the Wimmera and Mallee, with Nhill and Hopetoun each recording 114 per cent of its normal calendar-year rain with 333mm and 293mm respectively.
Shepparton has recorded 477mm in the past 9½ months, or 110 per cent of its annual average. Other Victorian centres to record more than average annual rain with two months of the year remaining include Ararat (626mm), Mortlake (604mm), Bendigo (525mm), Geelong (545mm), Avalon (469mm), Castlemaine (600mm), Redesdale (588mm) and Melbourne (657mm).
The best rain so far this year has been recorded in NSW with Nowra measuring 1400mm, representing about 160 per cent of what would expect in a calendar year. Condobolin and Forbes have received 571mm and 638mm respectively – or 142 per cent and 133 per cent more than their 12 month averages.
Other NSW centres on track for a significantly wetter than average year include West Wyalong (556mm or 129 per cent), Ivanhoe (281mm or 121 per cent), Narrandera (501mm or 117 per cent), Hillston (411mm or 111 per cent) and Deniliquin (391mm or 109 per cent).
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