RECENT cool, wintry weather conditions that have seen general showers push across the Wimmera and Mallee have come as a relief to farmers, offering optimism that El Nino conditions that have dominated Victoria are coming to an end.
Although few farmers received enough rain to commence planting, the mood has changed as the weather turned cooler and wetter,.
Almost on cue at the beginning of May, the balmy, dry autumn weather that dominated April turned cooler.
The Bureau of Meteorology continued with its favourable longer-term weather outlook.
In its latest climatic outlook statement, the bureau said May to July rainfall is more likely to be above average across most of mainland Australia as the El Nino conditions subside.
By Lloyd George, Ag Scientia
