Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It has been a welcome start to 2016 for farmers across New South Wales, but farmers experiencing extreme drought conditions in the north-west would be looking for follow-up rain for profile in the lead-up to winter crop planting.
The Bureau of Meteorology climate statistics show for the month of January the average rainfall total in Bourke is 29.4 millimetres.
A check of the Bureau of Meteorology's website on Thursday, January 28, revealed a total of 68.2 mm of rain had so far fallen during the month.
Drought-affected farmers in the north-west shire of Walgett would have been ecstatic that same day when a total of 99mm fell in the region.
The average rainfall over January in Walgett is only 56.8mm.
Although the beginning of the year saw a major rainfall event in Lightning Ridge, when a total of 45mm fell in one day on Monday, January 4, the shire kept receiving good showers during the course of the month.
A Department of Primary Industries spokesperson said north-western farmers in NSW would be looking for morerain.
"Farmers in the north-west will be looking for additional follow-up rain to ensure there is a full profile of moisture prior to the winter crop planting. In addition, rain close to sowing will be required to ensure good seedbed moisture," the spokesperson said.
The average rainfall for the month of January in Coonamble is 46.6mm, but from Friday, January 1 to Thursday, January 28, a total of 60mm fell in the shire.
In the same period a total of 114mm of rain fell in Dubbo, already exceeding its average monthly rainfall of 56.7mm.
The DPI spokesperson said the good rain received across the central west was very timely and would help to fill the soil profile prior to winter crop planting.
"Farmers have reported falls of up to 70mm at Nyngan, 50mm at Trangie, 90mm east of Dubbo and 120mm at Euabalong," they said.
"While areas north-west of Nyngan only received 6mm. The majority of central-west cropping is on red soil, which provided there is not too much run off, falls of 100mm will boost soil water levels and in some cases will fill soil water profiles.
The DPI spokesperson said while the rain was welcome, when the farmers could get back onto the paddocks there would be a lot of fallow preparation to control weeds such as barnyard grass, milk thistle and fleabane which were quick-growing and difficult-to-control weeds.