Talk has turned to El Nino for Bathurst farmers, despite this week’s welcome rainfall across the region.
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Despite recent snow and 43.4 millimetres of rain since last Sunday – which saw water go over the spillway at Ben Chifley Dam for the first time in almost a year – many farms and dams remain dry.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) website states nine of the 10 driest winter-spring periods on record for eastern Australia have occurred during El Nino years.
NSW Farmers Association Bathurst branch president David McKay said people were starting to worry about dry conditions ahead.
“Everyone’s worried about it in Bathurst, it’s very cold and nothing’s growing,” he said.
“They reckon it’s strengthening, but most people hope it’s not. But I think the weather board want people to face [the fact] it’s not going to rain as much.
“It’s been three springs in a row that have been pretty ordinary.”
The BOM explains that although most major Australian droughts have been associated with El Nino, analysis of past El Nino events shows that widespread drought does not occur with every event.
Also, the strength of an El Nino is not directly proportional to the rainfall impacts.
Mr McKay said Bathurst has been particularly affected this winter.
“It’s only when you leave Bathurst that you realise how good it is everywhere else,” he said.
Some farmers concentrated on growing crops during the winter to keep feed levels up for stock.
“People have had crops in over winter and have had a few fat cattle off them,” he said.
Mr McKay said good market prices have allowed other farmers to offload excess stock at favourable prices.
The BOM has predicted a drier-than-average spring for southern parts of south-east Australia, but temperatures are predicted to be average.
Wet weather is predicted to continue today with a slight (20 per cent) chance of rainfall in Bathurst and a top of 12 degrees.
From tomorrow until Tuesday, dry, sunny days are predicted with temperatures to reach 13 and 12 degrees across the weekend.