Hopes are high that forecast rain will be realised and the last gasp falls will be enough to save winter crops.
The Bureau of Meteorology's latest run of the Numerical Weather Prediction is forecasting a general 10-20mm of rain stretching across the Goondiwindi, St George, Roma, Miles and Dalby regions on Friday. The rain system is expected to stretch as far north as the southern areas of the Central Highlands.
Models have been predicting the major rain event that will steadily move from WA early in the week and gradually sweep across SA before reaching Victoria, NSW and Queensland on Friday. Farmers are upbeat about the chances of rain with the various computer weather models maintaining and intensifying the rainfall volumes in recent days.
It may be the last chance of rain for some Queensland grain farmers where wheat and barley crops which have struggled with limited rain over the past three months. Some farmers in the western cropping areas are saying the rain will be too late to save wheat crops while others are saying it will allow them to harvest crops.
Areas that have benefited from patchy storms through the growing season are still on track for near average yields with another couple of rain events.
Other states will also benefit from the rainfall event, with most areas anxious for soaking rain to replenish soil moisture levels before spring.
Extended weather outlooks remain favourable, according to the latest Bureau of Meteorology climate outlook. The August to October period is likely to be wetter than average, with a greater than 65 per cent chance over most of the eastern two thirds of Australia and greater than 75pc chance over much of south-west Queensland, south-east NT, western NSW, and inland SA, the bureau said.
Major global weather agencies are predicting a La Nina will develop in the spring, which often results in above average rainfall for much of Queensland and eastern Australia.
New crop grain values edged higher last week aided by a firmer tone in global wheat markets despite the ongoing strength in the value of the Australian dollar. Stockfeed wheat into Darling Downs for December / January was $5 higher at $305. Bids were also firmer in other states.
Black Sea wheat values are gradually creeping higher in a mix of lower than expected yields and slow farmer selling.
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