Still no decisive rain break for Victoria despite ‘dribs and drabs’

IT HAS been called a “dribs and drabs” rain but most Victorian grain growers are now well into their sowing programs.

Storms over Rutherglen. Picture: Ann Killeen.

IT HAS been called a “dribs and drabs” rain but most Victorian grain growers are now well into their sowing programs.

There has not been a general weather break across the state but rather an accumulation of rain totals over the past week should see crops being able to germinate.

“It wasn’t the terrific break like we had last year but we all know it is the spring rain which is the most important as long as we can get the crops up,” a Mallee farmer, who did not want to be named, said.

Rain totals were generally disappointing yesterday across the grain belt of the state.

Apart from 12mm at Ultima, most Mallee rain totals were under 10mm.

The parched Wimmera continued to miss out with 2mm at Warracknabeal.

Northeast Victoria had some good follow-up rain with totals ranging from 10-25mm.

Some areas in central Victoria received welcome rain as well with 10mm at Castlemaine, 12mm at Kyneton and 14mm at Daylesford.

Casterton recorded 15mm, Hamilton 9mm and Penshurst 7mm.

The Western District recorded about 10mm across the past few days.

It is the weekly totals which reveal the true impact of the rain.

In the Mallee, Hopetoun had 22mm and Beulah 19mm in the past week.

Ouyen recorded 17mm, Sea Lake 12mm and Woomelang 14mm in the past week.

Charlton had 12mm and Boort 10mm in the best of the totals heading into central Victoria.

Donald has 16mm and Kaniva 14mm to give farmers some heart.

Warracknabeal recorded 16mm and Rupanyup 17mm but the region is still waiting on a break.

Casterton had 26mm over the past week and Hamilton 15mm.

Despite the arrival of the feared El Nino, the Bureau of Meteorology’s long range predictions are for a wetter June.

The bureau is forecasting only light rain, a possible 5-10mm, across traditional grain growing areas in the next eight days.