The latest short term forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology says July to September rainfall is likely to be below average over southwest WA and southeast Australia. The BOM also predicts a drier than average July is likely over southwest WA, and eastern NSW. Elsewhere, there are roughly equal chances of a wetter or drier month.

Weatherzone’s Alex Zadnik said significant rainfall eluded large swathes of southern Australia through autumn and early winter, with a strong high pressure belt sitting further south than is typical for this time of year.

In his monthly weather report for the Farming Ahead magazine, Zadnik said the persistent synoptic pattern, dominated by stronger than usual high pressure systems, has kept rain bearing cold fronts to the south of the continent, severely limiting rainfall potential.

The wheatbelt of Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia have been two of the driest regions throughout this period.

You can read more details of Zadnik’s analysis in the July edition of Farming Ahead magazine.