Victor Szwed
Our spring weather has been mostly cool with only a handful of milder sunny days like we had this week. Nights have been cool but relatively mild compared to long-term averages. Frosts have been rarer than some years.
Rainfall for September has been only around 40mm, less than half the monthly average of 88.3mm. August was also below average with just two-thirds of the typical rainfall. For the first nine months of this year our rainfall has totalled only 480mm which is 70% of  the long-term average of 688mm.
The Bureau of Meteorology continues to forecast wetter than normal rainfall across much of Australia for the rest of 2024. However, the October week by week forecasts each indicate drier than normal conditions are likely to continue for much of Victoria. Their forecasts are confusing because the map for the whole month of October suggests wetter than normal conditions for Victoria. Lets hope that we do get good spring rains this month with some nice warmer days like we have had this week.
Maximum and minimum temperatures across all of Australia are forecast to be above the long-term average for the balance of this year.
With the low rainfalls this year, soil moisture levels are lower than normal and unless we do get good rainfalls this will affect our gardens and the potential fire risks. We have been fortunate that recent summers have not seen the really hot and windy conditions that increase fire risks. Now is a good time to activate plans to reduce fire risks around our homes as well as reviewing your fire plans in case this summer does have above average temperatures as the Bureau is forecasting.
Lower rainfall levels also affect stream flow and our reservoirs. Fortunately Daylesford’s water supplies are 97% full. Our reservoirs are not large and can drop when dry conditions prevail, however, Central Highlands Water has been building a new pipeline to bring extra water to Daylesford when needed.
The warmer weather has triggered a number of nature’s actions. You would have noticed some garden plants are now really taking off and lots are flowering. Wednesday evening this week we saw a small invasion of moths including a very large one we rarely see.
Victor Szwed is a Daylesford resident who writes a monthly weather update for The Wombat Post.
