Weekly update - 19 March 2020

During the week ending 18 March 2020 rainfall was primarily recorded across parts of the south-west, far north and south-east of Australia. Rainfall between 10 and 100 millimetres was recorded across scattered areas of western and south-eastern Australia. Rainfall up to 300 millimetres was recorded across parts of Cape York primarily due to a tropical low located off north-eastern Queensland.

In Australia’s cropping regions, rainfall totals of between 10 and 25 millimetres were recorded across parts of Western Australia. Little to no rainfall was recorded across cropping regions in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and remaining regions in Western Australia during the week ending 18 March 2020.

Rainfall for the week ending 18 March 2020

©Commonwealth of Australia 2020, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 18/03/2020

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.

While rainfall this week has been limited, the (1990-2012) median rainfall total for March has already been achieved across large parts of inland northern and eastern Australia.

Median rainfall totals for the month have been achieved for most cropping regions in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. Month to-date rainfall totals of between 10 and 25 millimetres have been recorded across parts of Western Australia and eastern South Australia. Cropping region in Queensland and western Victoria have recorded rainfall totals between 10 and 50 millimetres. Month to-date rainfall totals greater than 50 millimetres have been recorded across most cropping regions in New South Wales and eastern Victoria.

In South Australia, rainfall totals between 10 and 25 millimetres will need to occur during the remainder of the month for median rainfall totals for March to be achieved across most cropping regions.

Rainfall for the period 1 March to 18 March 2020

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.

For the week ending 17 March  2020, maximum and minimum temperatures were 2°C to 8°C above average across parts of western and central Australia. In contrast, maximum and minimum temperatures were 2°C to 4°C below average across parts of south-eastern Australia. Average (- 2°C to 2°C) minimum temperatures were recorded across the remainder of the country.

Maximum temperature anomalies for the week ending 17 March 2020

©Commonwealth of Australia 2020, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 18/03/2020

Minimum temperature anomalies for the week ending 17 March 2020

©Commonwealth of Australia 2020, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 18/03/2020

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 the average over the 1961 to 1990 reference period. For further information go to Daily maximum temperature for Australia.

Over the next eight days, rainfall totals of between 10 and 50 millimetres are forecast for parts of south-western, eastern and northern Australia. Falls in excess of 50 millimetres are forecast for isolated parts of the far north and north-east of Queensland and north of the Northern Territory. High pressure systems are expected to persist over the east and south of Australia during the next eight days, restricting the flow of moist air over Australia.

In cropping regions, rainfall of between 10 and 25 millimetres is expected across much of central and eastern Western Australia and parts of north-eastern New South Wales. Falls of between 5 and 10 millimetres are expected across much of northern and eastern New South Wales, and parts of south-eastern Queensland and the west of Western Australia. Little to no rainfall is expected across remaining cropping regions in Australia during the next 8 days.

Total forecast rainfall (mm) for the period 19 March to 26 March 2020

©Commonwealth of Australia 2020, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 19/03/2020

Note: This rainfall forecast is produced from computer models. As the model outputs are not altered by weather forecasters, it is important to check local forecasts and warnings issued by the Bureau of Meteorology.

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	18-Mar	US$/A$	0.62	0.66	-6%	0.71	-13%	chart
Wheat – US no. 2 hard red winter wheat, fob Gulf	17-Mar	US$/t	214	219	-2%	221	-3%	chart
Coarse Grains – US no. 2 yellow corn, fob Gulf	18-Mar	US$/t	160	170	-6%	168	-5%	chart
Canola – Rapeseed, Canada, fob Vancouver	18-Mar	US$/t	350	364	-4%	374	-6%	chart
Cotton – Cotlook 'A' Index	19-Mar	USc/lb	69.3	71.8	-3%	84.1	-18%	chart
Sugar – Intercontinental Exchange, nearby futures, no.11 contract	19-Mar	USc/lb	11.2	13.3	-16%	12.5	-10%	chart
Wool – Eastern Market Indicator	12-Mar	Ac/kg clean	1,521	1,562	-3%	1,979	-23%	chart
Wool – Western Market Indicator	12-Mar	Ac/kg clean	1,616	1,662	-3%	2,157	-25%	chart
Selected domestic crop indicator prices
Milling Wheat – ASW1, track quote, Port Adelaide, SA	03-Mar	A$/t	351	358	-2%	289	21%	chart
Feed Wheat – General purpose, Sydney, NSW	03-Mar	A$/t	428	436	-2%	418	2%	chart
Feed Barley – Sydney, NSW	03-Mar	A$/t	356	366	-3%	398	-11%	chart
Grain Sorghum – Sydney, NSW	03-Mar	A$/t	396	426	-7%	432	-8%	chart
Selected domestic livestock indicator prices
Beef – Eastern Young Cattle Indicator	12-Mar	Ac/kg cwt	766	744	3%	393	95%	chart
Mutton – Mutton indicator (18–24 kg fat score 2–3), Vic	12-Mar	Ac/kg cwt	761	708	7%	388	96%	chart
Lamb – Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator	12-Mar	Ac/kg cwt	960	962	<1%	640	50%	chart
Pig – Eastern Seaboard (60.1–75 kg), average of buyers & sellers	06-Mar	Ac/kg cwt	411	414	<1%	331	24%	chart
Goat – Eastern States (12.1–16 kg)	16-Mar	Ac/kg cwt	917	903	2%	616	49%	chart
Live cattle – Light steers ex Darwin to Indonesia	14-Mar	Ac/kg lwt	385	380	1%	300	28%	chart
Live sheep – Live wether (Muchea WA saleyard) to Middle East	09-Dec	$/head	105	140	-25%	108	-3%	chart
Global Dairy Trade (GDT) weighted average prices a
Dairy – Whole milk powder	17-Mar	US$/t	2,797	2,952	-5%	3,317	-16%	chart
Dairy – Skim milk powder	17-Mar	US$/t	2,527	2,747	-8%	2,405	5%	chart
Dairy – Cheddar cheese	17-Mar	US$/t	4,398	4,285	3%	4,036	9%	chart
Dairy – Anhydrous milk fat	17-Mar	US$/t	4,331	4,302	<1%	5,662	-24%	chart

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

Selected world indicator prices
Selected domestic crop indicator prices
Selected domestic livestock indicator prices
Global dairy trade weighted average prices
Movements in selected fruit and vegetable prices
Data attribution