Rain has been forecast for some dry parts of New South Wales and Victoria this week.

RAIN has been forecast for dry parts of the Riverina, with a system expected to pass through the area by the weekend.

Much has been spoken about the drying out conditions of Southern Australia in recent weeks, with large numbers of cattle heading north and a big demand for hay and other feed. While there have been some scattered showers in recent weeks, a lot of the area is still looking for showers to start its traditionally wet winter season.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting some decent rain in the Riverina this week, with possible falls up to 100mm. The system is expected to stay reasonably coastal until it gets into southern parts of NSW, with smaller showers further west.

Large numbers of cattle have been coming forward from the Riverina in recent weeks, as was reflected in recent Beef Central articles. (see here and here)

The area’s biggest saleyard at Wagga has been taking some record yardings this year, with 8600 head penned a fortnight ago, and a similar number the week before.

Many have remarked that significant rain is needed to break the current dry spell, with a recent National Livestock Reporting Service report saying that Wagga agents expected the big sell-off to continue under some dire conditions.

The rain is not expected to go into South Australia, where south-eastern parts of the state have been particularly dry for a long time.

BOM’s three month outlook is reasonably positive for the area, with a 60-80pc chance of exceeding median rainfall. Victoria and more coastal parts of Western Australia are expected to have close to their typical rainfall.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s three month outlook.