Weekly update - 9 November 2017

During the week ending 8 November 2017 rainfall totals between 5 and 50 millimetres were recorded in coastal and south-eastern parts of New South Wales and Queensland. Similar totals were recorded around the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland, in north-eastern Victoria, central and northern Western Australia, western Tasmania and northern parts of the Northern Territory. Little to no rainfall was recorded across the rest of the country. The highest recorded weekly total was 125 millimetres at Ballina airport in north-eastern New South Wales.

Rainfall - week ending 8 November 2017

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 8/11/2017

Note: The rainfall analyses and associated maps utilise data contained in the Bureau of Meteorology climate database, the Australian Data Archive for Meteorology (ADAM). The analyses are initially produced automatically from real-time data with limited quality control. They are intended to provide a general overview of rainfall across Australia as quickly as possible after the observations are received. For further information go to Weekly Rainfall Update.

During the week ending 7 November 2017 maximum temperatures were close to average across most of the country. They were below average (-2°C to -6°C) in southern Australia and above average (2°C to 6°C) in western parts of Western Australia. Minimum temperatures were below average (-2°C to -4°C) in central Australia and across most of south-eastern Australia. They were 2°C to 6°C above average in western parts of Western Australia.

Maximum temperature anomalies - week ending 7 November 2017

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 7/11/2017

Minimum temperature anomalies - week ending 7 November 2017

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 7/11/2017

Note: Spatial temperature analyses are based on historical weekly temperature data provided by the Bureau of Meteorology. These temperature anomaly maps show the departure of the maximum and minimum temperatures from their long-term averages. Temperature anomalies are calculated using high-resolution gridded datasets from 1911 onwards. For further information go to Daily maximum temperature for Australia.

Compared to last month, deficiencies at the five month timescale (June to October 2017) have decreased in both extent and severity in Queensland, northern New South Wales and the Kimberley in Western Australia following above average rainfall during October.
At the five month timescale serious to severe rainfall deficiencies remain across southern and south-eastern Australia. Similar rainfall deficiencies are also present along the east coast of Tasmania and parts Western Australia in the Gascoyne and Pilbara (Bureau of Meteorology ‘Drought Statement’, 3 November 2017).

Rainfall deficiencies for the 5 month period 1 June to 31 October 2017

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 02/11/2017

The Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) produces a monthly Locust Bulletin during the periods of locust activity (spring, summer and autumn). The bulletin gives regional summaries of the locust situation and weather events of potential significance for locust development. It also provides a forecast of likely developments for the next two months (or from autumn to spring) for the Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera), spur-throated locust (Austracris guttulosa), and the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria).

According to the APLC, Australian plague locust densities identified during September and October 2017 are among the lowest spring population levels on record for these months. Rainfall during winter and September was well below average over most of inland eastern Australia, and habitat conditions remained very dry. However, since the end of September there has been moderate–heavy rainfall in several regions, with some areas recording several significant rain events. This is likely to initiate low density locust breeding in numerous areas. Large population increases are unlikely during November and December, given the very low background spring population levels.

For the remainder of 2017 population densities are expected to remain generally low in all regions of inland eastern Australia. Breeding in areas that received heavy rainfall during October is likely to produce mostly low density nymphs during November. Fledging of nymphs in December would result in only moderate regional adult population increases. The probability of a summer nymph generation, which could result in significant population increases in January and February, will depend on the distribution of moderate–heavy rainfall during December. Given the current very low population densities, there is a low risk of widespread regional infestations developing during summer.

For further information, go to Australian Plague Locust Commission

Australian Plague Locust Distribution 1 to 31 October 2017

Densities estimated for areas of locust habitat, based on current surveys and reports from current and previous month.
©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources - Issued: 03/11/2017

Rainfall is forecast for a broad band of central Australia, as well as parts of south-eastern, western and north-eastern Australia during the next eight days. Totals between 10 and 50 millimetres are expected in the Northern Territory, central Western Australia, the western half of South Australia, north-eastern Victoria, south-eastern New South Wales, and isolated parts of central and northern Queensland. Higher totals (between 50 and 100 millimetres) are expected in southern parts of the Northern Territory, across the Top End and north-eastern coastal Queensland.

Total forecast rainfall (mm) for the period 9 to 16 November 2017

Source: ©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 9/11/2017

Water storage levels in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) decreased during the week ending  9 November 2017 by 129 gigalitres (GL) to 16,043 GL and are at 71 per cent of total capacity. This is 13 percentage points or 2,908 GL less than at the same time last year.

Visit the interactive Tableau data dashboard

Water storages in the Murray-Darling Basin (NSW, Victoria and Queensland)

Information on water available in dams used for irrigation the Murray–Darling Basin from 1 January 2001 to 9 November 2017 is shown above. The top horizontal (short dash) line indicates the storage level during a similar time last year. The bottom horizontal (long dash) line indicates the amount of ‘dead’ or unusable storage.

On  7 November 2017 NSW Department of Primary Industries – Water announced allocation increases of:

•  4.5% for NSW Gwydir general security to 16%

The current water allocations for the 2017–18 water trading season for licence holders in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia water systems are summarised in the following table and charts.

(a) General Security A class. (b) General Security B class

Select water allocation percentages in the southern Murray-Darling Basin

Allocation prices in the southern Murray–Darling Basin increased in the week ending 9 November 2017 to $135 per ML. This is an increase of $4 from the same time last week. This contrasts with an average price of $138 in October across the whole southern MDB, and $78 during the same time last year.

Allocation trade activity in the southern Murray–Darling Basin

The trades shown reflect estimated market activity and do not encompass all register trades. The price line reflects locally fitted price values for the entire southern Murray–Darling Basin. Data shown is current until Thursday 9 October 2017. Trade activity is shown as colour density.

Indicator	Week ended	Unit	Latest price	Price week prior	Weekly change	Price 12 months prior	Year on year change	Chart
Selected world indicator prices
Australian Dollar – AUD/USD Exchange Rate	08-Nov	US$/A$	0.77	0.77	0%	0.77	0%	chart
Wheat – US no. 2 hard red winter wheat, fob Gulf	07-Nov	US$/t	220	215	2%	191	15%	chart
Coarse Grains – US no. 2 yellow corn, fob Gulf	08-Nov	US$/t	151	149	1%	156	-3%	chart
Canola – Rapeseed, Europe, fob Hamburga	07-Nov	US$/t	436	428	2%	435	<1%	chart
Cotton – Cotlook 'A' Index	08-Nov	USc/lb	79.4	79.4	0%	77.5	2%	chart
Sugar – Intercontinental Exchange, nearby futures, no.11 contract	08-Nov	USc/lb	14.6	14.6	0%	21.9	-33%	chart
Wool – Eastern Market Indicator	02-Nov	Ac/kg clean	1,623	1,578	3%	1,303	25%	chart
Wool – Western Market Indicator	03-Nov	Ac/kg clean	1,674	1,634	2%	1,393	20%	chart
Selected domestic crop indicator prices
Milling Wheat – ASW1, track quote, Port Adelaide, SA	07-Nov	A$/t	231	219	5%	202	14%	chart
Feed Wheat – General purpose, Sydney, NSW	08-Nov	A$/t	258	258	0%	249	4%	chart
Feed Barley – Sydney, NSW	08-Nov	A$/t	251	251	0%	179	40%	chart
Canola – Portland, Vic.	06-Nov	A$/t	536	536	0%	538	<1%	chart
Grain Sorghum – Sydney, NSW	02-Oct	A$/t	304	304	0%	231	32%	chart
Selected domestic livestock indicator prices
Beef – Eastern Young Cattle Indicator	02-Nov	Ac/kg cwt	575	566	2%	666	-14%	chart
Mutton – Mutton indicator (18-24 kg fat score 2-3), Vic	10-Nov	Ac/kg cwt	451	451	0%	373	21%	chart
Lamb – Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator	02-Nov	Ac/kg cwt	620	623	<1%	549	13%	chart
Pig – Eastern Seaboard (60.1-75 kg), average of buyers & sellers	27-Oct	Ac/kg cwt	276	277	<1%	378	-27%	chart
Goat – Eastern States (12.1-16 kg)	06-Nov	Ac/kg cwt	491	491	0%	589	-17%	chart
Live cattle – Light steers ex Darwin to Indonesia	28-Oct	Ac/kg lwt	330	320	3%	na	na	chart
Live sheep – Live wether (Muchea WA saleyard) to Middle East	06-Nov	$/head	105	108	-3%	90	17%	chart
Global Dairy Trade weighted average pricesa
Dairy – Whole milk powder	07-Nov	US$/t	2,852	3,014	-5%	3,317	-14%	chart
Dairy – Skim milk powder	07-Nov	US$/t	1,818	1,797	1%	2,329	-22%	chart
Dairy – Cheddar cheese	07-Nov	US$/t	4,001	4,107	-3%	3,332	20%	chart
Dairy – Anhydrous milk fat	07-Nov	US$/t	6,894	6,841	<1%	5,146	34%	chart

^a Global Dairy Trade prices are updated twice monthly on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Movements in selected fruit and vegetable prices
Data attribution