Violent weather swings could see rain, snow, thunderstorms and strong winds across large areas of the central and eastern Australia in the next few days.
After warm day and night time temperatures in many centres, cold and wet conditions are forecast.
The Bureau of Meteorology has downgraded some of its earlier forecasts, however many areas of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania as well as parts of NSW and Queensland could receive significant falls of rain.
There is cautious optimism across large parts of the south east on Australia as rain begins to fall in SA and far west Victoria.
Livestock producers marketing annual drafts of weaners at annual sales are keeping a close eye on the weather, fully aware that many of the cattle will have to be absorbed by the western districts and Gippsland.
Rain through NSW and into Queensland could provide the fillip the market needs.
Bureau climatologist Greg Browning said while the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) weather event was weakening, a deep low pressure trough was drawing tropical moisture to the south east of Australia.
He said there was potential for rainfall over a broad area – potentially most of eastern half of the country.
Higher falls were expected in the south east of the mainland as well as Tasmania, the east coast of NSW and into southern Queensland.
Those weather system had tapped into the moisture that normally occurred in spring and summer.
“We had a hint of this over the Melbourne Cup weekend,” he said.
Typically those events in south east Australia were linked to tropical moisture as the primary mechanism.
Mr Browning said the accuracy of the forecast was generally “pretty good” with “good agrement among the models used”.
It was good to see these types of events occurring at this early stage of the season.
“It is normally later in the season when moisture builds up during the wet season,” he said.
Sharp Fullgrabe principal, Graeme Fullgrabe, Bairnsdale, said the region was not expecting significant falls.
He said there were around 1600 cattle booked for Friday’s store sale.
Cows were also being booked in for a kill and their calves would be sold in the store pens.
“it’s disappointing that some producers who have fed cattle to put weight on, are not getting the rewards because the domestic market is so poor,” he said.
Producers had done that at a cost and had to sacrifice something else.
Mr Fullgrabe said Bairnsdale was only yarding small prime stock numbers as cattle numbers dwindled.
There had been a large number of cows sold for slaughter that were in calf and any rebuild in numbers would take some time.
The support of Bairnsdale’s store sales by south Gippsland buyers was “great”.
Landmark South Gippsland Livestock partner Stuart Jenkins, said dry conditions continued to affect yarding totals.
He said Thursday’s store sale at Leongatha would see a large number of cattle that would normally be held until mid December.
The dry conditions around Sale and Traralgon were feeding supply with big lines coming from The Ridge Pastoral, Rosedale, and McGauran Pastoral.
There was reduced demand and reduced prices for the increased yardings of domestic cattle.
“Hopefully a drop of rain will pull up supply a bit,” he said.
Southern Farming Systems chief executive officer, Jon Midwood, said there would be little benefit from the predicted rain for the majority of the southern cropping areas of Victoria.
In south west Victoria crop yields were already locked in and canola was either being windrowed or scheduled for windrowing.
Barley crops were past the best date for a benefit, while long-season winter wheat would benefit with some grain filling.
Around Ballarat where crops were a fortnight behind, there would be benefit in any rain received.
Mr Midwood said barley and wheat crops in Tasmania – south of Launceston – would “relish” a decent rain.
The crops in the Tasmanian midlands looked good but dryland farmers were looking for a rain which would also reduce the pressure on irrigated croppers.
