Correction: Was referring to warm air in upper levels, but associated with upper trough, therefore it's actually unstable, not stable.

Principle is warmer air above cooler air gives more stability.

Bold - Bloody hell...it made it to VIC ! Off the NE flank of upper trough.

Are there still contributors who look in this thread (maybe just occasionally)...or just the occasional onlooker ?

Me.

#1374234 -- Right...? Layman's terms?

Yes, we are still here, God willing might be around a bit longer, just getting older and less enthusiastic about things. Any job that I think will take 1 day, seems to take 3!
BUT one of the best starts to the season here on the south coast for many years - funny how everyone says its the best ever - it's only running in line with the all time average - wonder what folk would think of a real wet year!!!!~~!!!! Hope all those exclamations don't worry Sherlock Holmes too much - anyway I thought he had passed away a while ago?
Cheers FE

What's your YTD/average YTD as of the 19th, 9 am, or whichever time you use?

Let me know when discussion becomes more candid.

Rainfall comparisons:-

All Time Average to end of May 273 mm
This year at 23rd May 2016 306 mm
This trime last year 2015 186 mm

Cheers FE

Rainfall comparisons (Northern Woodside):

All Time Average to end of May: 229.5 mm
This year at 23rd May 2016: 274.7 mm
This time (23rd) last year 2015: 227.3 mm



Naz

July rainfall was the most recorded in a single month since January 2010.

Hi All, so here we are again looking for rain in the West, just after 2 good years for most crop growers, too much to hope for a third, as rain is getting too late for some of the northern ag areas over here for cropping this year. My gauge is 35 % down on last this time last year, but being on the South Coast with no cropping, drier now is better than wet for me now, but I hope for a wetter period leading to spring. Sadly for those with livestock, you don't have to go very far inland to see bare ground, with farmers battling to find feed for stock! I heard today that there is a waiting period of up to 6 weeks for pellets, with no pasture, very little hay left, there will be some hungry sheep in the meantime.

A few years ago I was disappointed that my age had caught up with me and I would have to slow down, which I have, in hind sight what a blessing that has been - lot safer just playing at farming in old age than having the constant worry of to gambling on the ever increasing unreliability of quicker changes of normal seasonal patterns. Last week an orchardist told me he was picking apples off a tree which already had flowers on......! Strange times.

Cheers FE

Reports of up to 60% loss of some fruit types from Adelaide Hills Orchards on ABC News after a hail storm ripped through the region recently.

In a local paper now, so for real.

Hi All, Funny year all round, yes fruit was hit by hail in SA, wind blew a lot of flowers of our fruit trees here, so didn't have much of a pick, then we had a very , very mild summer heat wise and things took ages to ripen.Despite the cool summer, it has been very dry this last 2 months, the season break should be a good one when it happens. Beef, sheep, woolgrowers and bee keepers should be happy, best prices for a long time and rural land values picking up in a lot of places.Good time to sell here, but then what woud I do with my time .....Cheers FE

It started a movement....

https://edis.dpi.nsw.gov.au/

New drought indicator map...

And I think it is a great movement considering the amount of food waste on this planet .

Hi All,
Anzac Day has been and gone, so seeding starts in the Wheatbelt for many optimists, rain or no rain....... Only about 1/3 of our annual rainfall down here on the South Coast and the price of hay is on the rise, some advertised at $90 a roll and it only early May!
Cheers FE