Weather: Farmers prepare for long, dry summer

The Bureau has predicted warmer days and nights, while Grampians farmers brace for any risks. In northern Victoria, farmers plan for summer spraying.

Hotter days and nights remain on the cards for Victorian weather in January, as farmers continue to battle dry conditions and burnt ground at the Grampians.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson said eastern Victoria would likely have above-average rain, while the remainder of the state would be typical for January.

They said daytime and night-time temperatures were likely to be above average for Victoria, with an increased chance of unusually high maximum and minimum temperatures.

“In January, the above average rainfall signal is mostly confined to eastern Australia, with the strongest chances for above average rainfall in southeast Queensland and the NSW coastal fringe,” the spokesperson said.

“Maximum daytime temperatures are likely to be above average for most of Australia, while daytime temperatures will be within the typical range for January for southern parts of Western Australia and central parts of NSW.”

Willaura farmer Matt Burmeister said half of his farm had burnt in the Grampians fires, and braced himself for “nothing positive” from January weather.

“When I was a kid summer used to be my favourite season, but now it’s probably my least favourite. It’s a time of year that’s really tough,” he said.

“I’m not expecting anything other than a long, dry summer. We’ve had an unusual spring and autumn, they were well below rainfall.”

Mr Burmeister said he hoped for a good autumn break.

“There is plenty of risk in the immediate vicinity, but as far as our landholding, most of it is burnt,” he said.

At Rutherglen, Tom Briggs said he had stopped checking long-range forecasts and moved to looking at the week ahead instead.

“It’s done my headspace a lot of good in the last year,” he said.

They had good ground cover and surface moisture after heavy November and December rain, when they received 200mm.

“Some of that we’ll look to utilise our summer forage programs and look to do a summer spray and conserve it for early forage crops and dual-purpose cereals in the new year,” he said.

Mr Briggs said they had some hogweed which they could graze lightly, but a substantial amount of hairy panic.