Weekly update - 19 April 2018

During the week ending 18 April 2018 rainfall was mainly restricted to eastern Australia and isolated parts of southern and northern Australia. Little to no rainfall was recorded across the remainder of the country.

Rainfall totals between 25 and 50 millimetres were recorded in south-eastern South Australia, southern Victoria, and isolated parts of north-eastern New South Wales. Similar totals were recorded in coastal parts of northern Queensland and isolated areas of the Kimberley and adjacent parts of the Top End. Higher totals (between 50 and 100 millimetres) were recorded in alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales, and western Tasmania. The highest recorded weekly total was 285 millimetres at Euramo, south of Innisfail in northern Queensland.

Rainfall - week ending 18 April 2018

 

©Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 18/04/2018

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 April 2018, maximum temperatures were between 2°C to 4°C above average across most of mainland Australia. Higher maximum temperatures (4°C to 6°C above average) were recorded across most of New South Wales, parts of south-western Queensland, western parts of the Northern Territory and adjacent parts of Western Australia. Minimum temperatures were also above average for most of the country, with the exception of southern parts of Western Australia (2°C to 4°C below average). The highest anomalies were in central parts of New South Wales and south-western parts of the Northern Territory where minimum temperatures were between 4°C to 8°C above average for this time of year.

Maximum temperature anomalies - week ending 17 April 2018

 

©Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 17/04/2018

Minimum temperature anomalies - week ending 17 April 2018

 

©Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 17/04/2018

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 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, the Australian plague locust population level has remained low over most of eastern Australia throughout the 2017–18 season. Most areas that received rainfall during summer dried out rapidly and prolonged high temperatures are likely to have caused increased mortality of nymphs and adults. Surveys during March recorded low numbers of adults and occasional nymphs in the Central West, Central Highlands and South Central regions of Queensland. Only occasional adults were recorded in most areas of the Riverina, Far Southwest and southern Central West regions of New South Wales.

The outlook for the remainder of autumn is for population densities to remain low in most regions of inland eastern Australia. There a very low risk of swarms affecting any agricultural region during the remainder of autumn. There is a low risk of high density nymph infestations developing in any region during spring (Locust Bulletin April 2018).

For further information, go to Australian Plague Locust Commission

Australian Plague Locust Distribution 1 to 31 March 2018

 

Densities estimated for areas of locust habitat, based on current surveys and reports from current and previous month.
©Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Issued: 05/04/2018

During the next eight days, rainfall is mainly expected in eastern and parts of south-western Australia. Totals between 25 and 50 millimetres are forecast for south-eastern Queensland and coastal parts of northern New South Wales. Similar totals are expected in south-western Western Australia. Little to no rainfall is forecast for the remainder of the country.

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 19 to 26 April 2018

 

©Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 19/04/2018

Water storage levels in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) decreased during the week ending 19 April 2018 by 139 gigalitres (GL) to 11,271 GL and are at 50 per cent of total capacity. This is 17 percentage points or 3,747 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 19 April 2018 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.

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.

On 16 April 2018 NSW Department of Primary Industries – Water announced allocation increases of:

• 3 per cent for NSW Murrumbidgee general security to 41 per cent

Water allocations in the Murray–Darling Basin (NSW, Victoria and South Australia)

Allocations at	19 April 2018		3 April 2018
New South Wales	General security	High security	General security	High security
NSW Murray	51%	97%	51%	97%
NSW Murrumbidgee	41%	95%	38%	95%
NSW Lower Darling	100%	100%	100%	100%
NSW Macquarie and Cudgegong	38%	100%	38%	100%
NSW Hunter	100%	100%	100%	100%
NSW Lachlan	2%	100%	2%	100%
NSW Lower Namoi	7%	100%	7%	100%
NSW Upper Namoi	100%	100%	100%	100%
NSW Gwydir	18%	100%	18%	100%
NSW Border Rivers	100%(a)/19.62%(b)	100%	100%(a)/19.62%(b)	100%
NSW Peel	100%	100%	100%	100%
Victoria	Low reliability	High reliability	Low reliability	High reliability
Victoria Murray	0%	100%	0%	100%
Victoria Goulburn	0%	100%	0%	100%
Victoria Campaspe	59%	100%	59%	100%
Victoria Loddon	0%	100%	0%	100%
Victoria Bullarook	100%	100%	100%	100%
Victoria Broken	100%	100%	100%	100%
South Australia		Class 3a/3b		Class 3a/3b
South Australia Murray		100%		100%

Select water allocation percentages in the southern Murray-Darling Basin

 

 

 

 

Allocation prices in the southern Murray–Darling Basin increased in the week ending 19 April 2018 to $134 per ML. This is an increase of $5 from the same time last week. This contrasts with an average price of $117 in March across the whole southern MDB, and $42 during the same month 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 19 April 2018. Trade activity is shown as colour density.

Allocation trade prices, southern Murray–Darling Basin trade zones

	Southern MDB	Victoria Goulburn	SA Murray	NSW Murrumbidgee	Victoria Murray	NSW Murray
Current week: 13/04/18 – 19/04/18	$133.73	$123.27	$137.38	$158.62	$136.35	$129.60
Last week: 06/04/18 – 12/04/18	$129.23	$118.43	$126.84	$153.02	$133.06	$134.80
March 2018	$117.02	$101.21	$106.54	$150.78	$122.36	$115.37
March 2017	$41.53	$44.63	$44.80	$17.66	$45.96	$41.03

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-Apr	US$/A$	0.78	0.77	1%	0.76	3%	chart
Wheat – US no. 2 hard red winter wheat, fob Gulf	17-Apr	US$/t	242	245	-1%	191	27%	chart
Coarse Grains – US no. 2 yellow corn, fob Gulf	18-Apr	US$/t	178	176	1%	158	13%	chart
Canola – Rapeseed, Europe, fob Hamburga	17-Apr	US$/t	423	427	<1%	426	<1%	chart
Cotton – Cotlook 'A' Index	18-Apr	USc/lb	92.8	91.7	1%	87.1	7%	chart
Sugar – Intercontinental Exchange, nearby futures, no.11 contract	18-Apr	USc/lb	11.9	12.3	-3%	16.5	-28%	chart
Wool – Eastern Market Indicator	12-Apr	Ac/kg clean	1,776	1,772	<1%	1,512	17%	chart
Wool – Western Market Indicator	13-Apr	Ac/kg clean	1,884	1,871	<1%	1,532	23%	chart
Selected domestic crop indicator prices
Milling Wheat – ASW1, track quote, Port Adelaide, SA	17-Apr	A$/t	242	242	0%	181	34%	chart
Feed Wheat – General purpose, Sydney, NSW	11-Apr	A$/t	280	278	<1%	211	33%	chart
Feed Barley – Sydney, NSW	11-Apr	A$/t	284	279	2%	193	47%	chart
Canola – Portland, Vic.	16-Apr	A$/t	502	492	2%	515	-3%	chart
Grain Sorghum – Sydney, NSW	11-Apr	A$/t	360	350	3%	249	45%	chart
Selected domestic livestock indicator prices
Beef – Eastern Young Cattle Indicator	12-Apr	Ac/kg cwt	523	540	-3%	661	-21%	chart
Mutton – Mutton indicator (18-24 kg fat score 2-3), Vic	13-Apr	Ac/kg cwt	438	458	-4%	498	-12%	chart
Lamb – Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator	12-Apr	Ac/kg cwt	580	600	-3%	687	-16%	chart
Pig – Eastern Seaboard (60.1-75 kg), average of buyers & sellers	06-Apr	Ac/kg cwt	269	269	0%	318	-15%	chart
Goat – Eastern States (12.1-16 kg)	09-Apr	Ac/kg cwt	472	472	0%	643	-27%	chart
Live cattle – Light steers ex Darwin to Indonesia	14-Apr	Ac/kg lwt	285	310	-8%	340	-16%	chart
Live sheep – Live wether (Muchea WA saleyard) to Middle East	09-Apr	$/head	124	124	0%	124	0%	chart
Global Dairy Trade weighted average pricesa
Dairy – Whole milk powder	17-Apr	US$/t	3,311	3,278	1%	2,998	10%	chart
Dairy – Skim milk powder	17-Apr	US$/t	1,913	1,849	3%	2,044	-6%	chart
Dairy – Cheddar cheese	17-Apr	US$/t	3,855	3,679	5%	3,462	11%	chart
Dairy – Anhydrous milk fat	17-Apr	US$/t	6,120	5,806	5%	5,930	3%	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