This month is set to be one of the driest January on record in south-west Victoria.
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Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Ian Barnes-Keoghan said earlier this week that each of its south-west weather stations had received less than five millimetres of rain this month.
Some places in the south-west had received even less rain in January 2013, but receiving less than five millimetres when the average for the month was between 35-45mm made this January an exceptionally dry month, Mr Barnes-Keoghan said.
Warrnambool had received only 4.6mm up until 9am on Wednesday while Hamilton received 1.4mm, Port Fairy 2mm, Portland 1.2mm and Camperdown 4mm.
Grassmere beef and dairy farmer John Howard said the little rain during January was not causing any problems for his enterprises.
“It’s been an excellent season. The minimum rain has come at the right time every time.
“We finished up with good silage and good hay,” Mr Howard said.
He said while the dry conditions had moderated the growth of his summer crops, they were still providing adequate feed without irrigation.
Mr Howard said an upside of the dry conditions was they were killing off soil diseases and bugs.
Woolsthorpe beef and sheep farmer Russell Selway said he would appreciate more showers of rain because his summer crop was looking desperate for more moisture.
Mr Selway said about 30 millimetres of rain fell over a number of days in Woolsthorpe about mid-December to give his summer crop a great boost but it was now in need of further water.
“If we do not get rain within a week, it will die,” he said.
Wolsthorpe received 42.5mm in December, just below its 43mm average and 42.4mm in November, also below its 49.9mm average for that month.
Mr Selway said other farmers in his district were also looking for more showers for their summer crops.
WestVic Dairy regional extension officer Peter Gaffy said many south-west farmers got an average or slightly above silage and hay harvest last year.
If we do not rain within a week, my summer crop is likely to die.
- Russell Selway
That good harvest had allowed them to avoid having to buy in a lot of hay and grain to feed stock, which was an expensive move, Mr Gaffy said.
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