Dust storms are back on the radar of government experts after a three-year La Nina vacation.
The quick switch from wet seasons to a drier El Nino is on the mind of most.
Only yesterday the Bureau of Meteorology warned most of Australia could expect higher temperatures and less rain for June to August.
Southern areas of Australia have at least twice the normal chance of winter rainfall falling in the bottom 20 per cent of records, BOM said.
Autumn rainfall across Australia was about 10 per cent below the 1961-1990 average.
The nation had its second-driest May since national rainfall records began more than a century ago.
The results from a five-year study into the dust storms which devastate cropping country in Victoria's hottest and driest region, the Mallee, has been released in the lead up to the expected dry.
Researchers from Agriculture Victoria have been monitoring ground cover, wind erosion and land management in the Victorian Mallee since 2019.
Each year, there are two roadside surveys during autumn and spring to collect ground cover and land management information. Crop type data is derived from satellite imagery.
With the support of the Mallee's broadacre farmers, Landcare and the Mallee CMA, they have been trialling methods to stop the storms at their source in the Mallee's loose soils.
Unsurprisingly, their latest survey data shows there has been a lull in the storms.
Agriculture Victoria's land management extension officer, Martin Hamilton said the importance of the study shouldn't be understated.
"Wind erosion directly impacts the viability of agricultural land by exposing plant roots, burying plants or blowing them out of the ground, and impacts seasonal production," Mr Hamilton said.
"This new data adds weight to a long-running and comprehensive study of conditions that affect the likelihood of wind erosion such as ground cover in paddocks, grazing and crop management, pre-existing erosion, seasonal and climatic conditions."
Key insights from last year's roadside surveys and satellite imagery data analysis revealed cereal crops still dominate as the major ground cover at 70.8pc.
Legume crops make up 21.8pc in the dryland farming areas and were at a four year high, likely due to high prices.
The target threshold 64.9pc for area protected from wind erosion was met for the third year running.
Researchers admit that goal was "assisted by favourable weather" which increased natural vegetation.
Mr Hamilton said many farmers working to retain groundcover by growing ryecorn or lupins on dune crests and vetch hay or cereals in paddock depressions, as well as modifying sowing practices to maximise biomass when cutting for hay.
'Best practice land management by farmers will be the key to retaining ground cover to mitigate against wind erosion," he said.
The results of the study will be presented in a webinar on June 13, you can register here and through the Agriculture Victoria website.