Hopes high that rain will kick-start the season

ALL eyes will turn to the skies above Victoria tomorrow in the hope of the weather break to the season.

ALL eyes will turn to the skies above Victoria tomorrow in the hope of the weather break to the season.

While the Bureau of Meteorology says expected rain totals would not end the drought, it may be enough to kick start the season, especially for grain and pasture growers.

Falls of 5-20mm are forecast for tomorrow for most of the east of the state on both sides of the Great Divide.

The rain is not expected to penetrate far into the Wimmera-Mallee grain belt, although central Victoria could pick up a welcome 25mm on Friday and Saturday.

Most rainfall predictions from the bureau and the other weather websites vary widely in predicted totals, but agree the conditions are right for soaking rain.

One of the bureau’s rainfall prediction maps is forecasting that more than 100mm is possible in the high country of the North East.

The Riverina is also expected to record good totals as far west as Balranald.

The rain predictions came after Melbourne’s warmest night in history for this time of year.

Meanwhile, the bureau’s climate outlook released today continued to predict above average rainfall from May to July across most of mainland Australia.

The bureau this week said the El Nino had “entered its final weeks”.

“Recent changes in the tropical Pacific Ocean and atmosphere, combined with current climate model outlooks, suggest the likelihood of La Nina forming later in 2016 is around 50 per cent,” the bureau said.

“Six of eight international climate models suggest the tropical Pacific Ocean will return to neutral levels within the next month.

“By September, seven of eight models suggest La Nina thresholds are likely,” the bureau said.

La Nina is often associated with wet seasons in southeastern Australia.

“Australia’s climate is also being influenced by record warm temperatures in the Indian Ocean,” the bureau said.