Ready for rain relief
IT’S not a question of dam half-full or half-empty for Geelong region farmers like Corrina George.
Water supplies have been at concerning lows for months, with a particularly dry start to autumn throughout southeastern Australia.
The Mannerim farmer said the beige and brown fields of the Bellarine Peninsula were finally giving way to an emerald hue, with some recent showers providing muchneeded relief.
But it’s nowhere near enough for many in the region, go. The dams are pretty low, like most around the area.
“It’s been a dry few months, so we’re hopeful the autumn break is coming and that we’ll have a few good downpours.”
As of yesterday, Geelong has received 94.4mm of rain this calendar year, the majority of which fell on one single day in January.
Both the Colac and Surf Coast regions missed out on the freak January downpour and are drier as a result.
The Colac weather station at Mount Gellibrand has recorded 60mm of rain as of yesterday, while the Surf Coast’s weather station at Aireys Inlet has picked up 65mm.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Stephen King said February and March had been drier than average in most Victorian regions.
“Looking at the long-term forecast, there’s a strong chance that the Geelong region will exceed the average maximum temperature between May and July,” Mr King said.
“In terms of rainfall, there’s a 50 per cent chance of aboveaverage rainfall this winter.
“The key climate drivers are in neutral.
“We’re seeing neither an El Nino or a La Nina system playing much of a role at the moment.”