Weekly update - 15 June 2017

During the week ending 14 June 2017 rainfall was mainly restricted to parts of western and eastern Australia. A low pressure system and associated trough brought rainfall totals between 100 and 200 millimetres to coastal parts of south-eastern Queensland and New South Wales. Areas around Sydney and Grafton have already exceeded their monthly average rainfall for June. The highest recorded weekly total was 376 millimetres at Woodburn, north of Grafton in New South Wales. Little to no rainfall was recorded across the remainder of mainland Australia.

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

Rainfall - week ending 14 June 2017

 

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 14/06/2017

During the week ending 13 June 2017 maximum temperatures were close to average across much of the country with the exception of Western Australia where temperatures were between 2°C and 6°C above average. Maximum temperatures were between 2°C and 4°C below average in parts of the Northern Territory and adjacent areas in Western Australia. Minimum temperatures were generally between 2°C and 4°C below average across most of Australia. The main exception was eastern New South Wales, where minimum temperatures were between 2°C and 4°C above average for this time of year.

Maximum temperature anomalies - week ending 13 June 2017

 

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 13/06/2017

Minimum temperature anomalies - week ending 13 June 2017

 

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 13/06/2017

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.

The forecast for the next eight days indicates that little to no rainfall is expected across most of mainland Australia due to a broad high pressure system across the south of the country. Rainfall totals exceeding 15 millimetres are forecast for western Tasmania and parts of far south-western Western Australia.

This rainfall forecast is produced from computer models. As it contains no input from weather forecasters, it is important to check local forecasts and warnings issued by the Bureau of Meteorology.

Total forecast rainfall (mm) for the period 15 to 22 June 2017

 

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 15/06/2017

Water storage levels in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) increased during the week ending 15 June 2017 by 74 gigalitres (GL) to 15,519 GL and are at 69 per cent of total capacity. This is 34 percentage points or 7,764 GL more than at the same time last year.

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

 

Information on irrigation water available in the Murray–Darling Basin from 1 January 2001 to 15 June 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.

Allocation prices in the southern Murray-Darling Basin increased in the week up to 15 June 2017 in most systems. Average prices across the whole southern system increased to $28.96. This is an increase of $12.62 or 77 per cent from the same time last week. Although prices have risen, this is in part due to trade closing in some of the lower-priced valleys in the system. This contrasts with an average price of $22.71 in May across the whole southern MDB and $31.93 in April.

Allocation trade activity in the southern Murray-Darling Basin

 

The trades shown reflect 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 15 June, 2017.

Allocation trade prices, southern Murray-Darling Basin (price per ML)

	Southern MDB	Goulburn	South Australia	Murrumbidgee	Victoria Murray	NSW Murray
Current week: 09/06/17 - 15/06/17	$28.96	$29.52	$27.56	NA	$30.15	NA
Last week: 02/06/17 - 08/06/17	$16.34	$28.34	$25.37	$4.95	$26.52	$12.42
May 2017	$22.71	$27.55	$29.92	$5.51	$27.71	$24.26
May 2016	$233.65	$251.07	$253.98	$190.14	$249.59	$220.62

World wheat

The world wheat indicator price (no. 2 hard red winter, fob Gulf) averaged $217 a tonne in the week ending 13 June 2017, an increase of 7 per cent from the previous week. Early harvest samples tested by Plain Grains Inc. found HRW protein levels in Texas and Oklahoma to be below average at 10.8 per cent. The minimum protein level required to be classified as no.2 HRW is 10.5 per cent.

Crop report

ABARES released the June edition of Australian crop report on Wednesday 14 June. The report includes forecasts for 2017–18 winter crop production and estimates of 2016–17 summer crop production. The report is available at Agricultural commodities.

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	14-Jun	US$/A$	0.75	0.75	0%	0.74	1%	chart
Wheat – US no. 2 hard red winter wheat, fob Gulf	13-Jun	US$/t	217	202	7%	208	4%	chart
Coarse Grains – US no. 2 yellow corn, fob Gulf	14-Jun	US$/t	163	161	1%	186	-12%	chart
Canola – Rapeseed, Europe, fob Hamburg	13-Jun	US$/t	412	412	0%	429	-4%	chart
Cotton – Cotlook 'A' Index	14-Jun	USc/lb	86.2	86.9	<1%	73.8	17%	chart
Sugar – Intercontinental Exchange, nearby futures, no.11 contract	14-Jun	USc/lb	14.0	14.0	0%	19.6	-29%	chart
Wool – Eastern Market Indicator	08-Jun	Ac/kg clean	1,478	1,472	<1%	1,270	16%	chart
Wool – Western Market Indicator	26-May	Ac/kg clean	1,520	1,535	<1%	1,375	11%	chart
Selected domestic crop indicator prices
Milling Wheat – ASW1, track quote, Port Adelaide, SA	06-Jun	A$/t	204	198	3%	256	-20%	chart
Feed Wheat – General purpose, Sydney, NSW	14-Jun	A$/t	240	239	<1%	273	-12%	chart
Feed Barley – Sydney, NSW	14-Jun	A$/t	226	214	6%	229	-1%	chart
Canola – Portland, Vic.	05-Jun	A$/t	503	510	-1%	535	-6%	chart
Grain Sorghum – Sydney, NSW	14-Jun	A$/t	279	272	3%	256	9%	chart
Selected domestic livestock indicator prices
Beef – Eastern Young Cattle Indicator	08-Jun	Ac/kg cwt	643	652	-1%	583	10%	chart
Mutton – Mutton indicator (18-24 kg fat score 2-3), Vic	09-Jun	Ac/kg cwt	534	557	-4%	379	41%	chart
Lamb – Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator	08-Jun	Ac/kg cwt	670	671	<1%	599	12%	chart
Pig – Eastern Seaboard (60.1-75 kg), average of buyers & sellers	02-Jun	Ac/kg cwt	290	299	-3%	383	-24%	chart
Goat – Eastern States (12.1-16 kg)	12-Jun	Ac/kg cwt	660	656	<1%	560	18%	chart
Live cattle – Light steers ex Darwin to Indonesia	20-May	Ac/kg lwt	320	320	0%	280	14%	chart
Live sheep – Live wether (Muchea WA saleyard) to Middle East	05-Jun	$/head	123	136	-10%	na	na	chart
Global Dairy Trade weighted average pricesa
Dairy – Whole milk powder	06-Jun	US$/t	3,143	3,312	-5%	2,205	43%	chart
Dairy – Skim milk powder	06-Jun	US$/t	2,156	1,998	8%	1,867	15%	chart
Dairy – Cheddar cheese	06-Jun	US$/t	4,285	3,726	15%	2,669	61%	chart
Dairy – Anhydrous milk fat	06-Jun	US$/t	6,631	6,631	0%	3,444	93%	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