Weekly update - 24 August 2017

During the week ending 23 August 2017 rainfall was recorded in far south-western and far south-eastern Australia, with little to no rainfall recorded over the rest of mainland Australia. Rainfall totals between 5 and 50 millimetres were recorded in south-western Western Australia, south-eastern South Australia, Victoria, southern New South Wales, and Tasmania. Rainfall totals exceeded 50 millimetres in far south-western Western Australia, western Tasmania, and in alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales. The highest recorded weekly total was 118 millimetres at Koetong around 50 kilometres east of Wodonga in Victoria.

Late-winter rainfall across western and south-eastern Australia has been beneficial for pastures and winter crops. However, rainfall in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland remains well below average as wheat and other winter crops enter temperature and moisture-sensitive stages of development.

Rainfall - week ending 23 August 2017

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 23/08/2017

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 22 August 2017 maximum temperatures were between 2°C and 6°C above average for most of northern Australia. Maximum temperature anomalies were close to average for the remainder of Australia. Minimum temperatures were generally close to average across most of the country, with parts of central Australia recording above average (2°C to 6°C) minimum temperatures.

These above average August temperatures, particularly in Queensland and the Northern Territory, follow well above average maximum and minimum temperatures in northern Australia during recent months. For the period May to July, northern Australia experienced its highest mean daily maximum temperature on record, at 1.93°C above average for this period (Bureau of Meteorology, ‘Weekly Tropical Climate note’, 22 August 2017). These warmer than average temperatures have assisted fruit set in avocados, but provided an extra stress factor for winter cereal and pulse crops.

Maximum temperature anomalies - week ending 22 August 2017

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 22/08/2017

Minimum temperature anomalies - week ending 22 August 2017

©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 22/08/2017

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.

Globally, July 2017 tied with July 2016 as the warmest July in recorded history according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA’s data combine sea surface temperature and air temperature on land and showed July 2017 was 0.83°C hotter than the long-term average (1951 to 1980) for July, which equalled the value for July 2016.

While July is typically the planet’s hottest month of the year, this record is particularly noteworthy because it occurred in the absence of a natural climate cycle, like El Niño, which helped increased global temperatures in 2016.

Annual global temperature anomaly; each line indicates a year, from 1880 to 2017

Source: GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP). NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
GISTEMP Update

Global land-ocean temperature index anomaly, relative to 1951-1980 July average

Source: GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP). NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
GISTEMP Update

During the next eight days rainfall totals between 5 and 100 millimetres are forecast for western Tasmania and southern parts of Western Australia. Rainfall totals between 5 and 10 millimetres are forecast for eastern parts of Queensland and New South Wales, and parts of southern Victoria and South Australia. Little to no rainfall is forecast for the rest of mainland Australia during the next eight days.

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 24 to 31 August 2017

Source: ©Commonwealth of Australia 2017, Australian Bureau of Meteorology - Issued: 24/08/2017

Water storage levels in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) increased during the week ending 24 August 2017 by 431 gigalitres (GL) to 16,505 GL and are at 73 per cent of total capacity. This is 12 percentage points or 2,719 GL more than at the same time last year.

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 24 August 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.

Water allocations remain unchanged in the week to 24 August 2017.

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

Allocation prices in the southern Murray–Darling Basin fell in the week up to 24 August 2017 in most systems in part due to new inflows. Average prices across the southern system excluding Victoria were $130. This is $9 less than the price of the whole southern Murray–Darling Basin at the same time last week. This contrasts with an average price of $124 in July across the whole southern MDB.

At the time of preparation, Victorian trade data was unavailable.

Allocation trade activity in the southern Murray–Darling Basin

Victorian trade data was unavailable at the time of preparation and is current only to 17 August 2017. Other trade data is current to 24 August 2017. 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. Trade activity is shown as colour density.

* Victorian trade data was unavailable at the time of preparation and is current only to 17 August 2017. Other trade data is current to 24 August 2017

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	23-Aug	US$/A$	0.79	0.79	0%	0.76	4%	chart
Wheat – US no. 2 hard red winter wheat, fob Gulf	22-Aug	US$/t	198	206	-4%	194	2%	chart
Coarse Grains – US no. 2 yellow corn, fob Gulf	23-Aug	US$/t	151	153	-1%	153	-1%	chart
Canola – Rapeseed, Europe, fob Hamburg	22-Aug	US$/t	433	421	3%	426	2%	chart
Cotton – Cotlook 'A' Index	23-Aug	USc/lb	77.7	78.9	-2%	78.1	<1%	chart
Sugar – Intercontinental Exchange, nearby futures, no.11 contract	23-Aug	USc/lb	13.5	13.2	2%​	20.2	-33%	chart
Wool – Eastern Market Indicatora	13-Jul	Ac/kg clean	1,522	1,524	<1%	1,311	16%	chart
Wool – Western Market Indicatora	18-Aug	Ac/kg clean	1,680	1,606	5%	1,397	20%	chart
Selected domestic crop indicator prices
Milling Wheat – ASW1, track quote, Port Adelaide, SA	15-Aug	A$/t	223	227	-2%	223	0%	chart
Feed Wheat – General purpose, Sydney, NSW	23-Aug	A$/t	237	252	-6%	231	3%	chart
Feed Barley – Sydney, NSW	23-Aug	A$/t	226	236	-4%	183	23%	chart
Canola – Portland, Vic.	21-Aug	A$/t	495	502	-1%	505	-2%	chart
Grain Sorghum – Sydney, NSW	23-Aug	A$/t	314	312	<1%	206	52%	chart
Selected domestic livestock indicator prices
Beef – Eastern Young Cattle Indicator	17-Aug	Ac/kg cwt	551	559	-1%	720	-23%	chart
Mutton – Mutton indicator (18-24 kg fat score 2-3), Vic	18-Aug	Ac/kg cwt	401	424	-5%	380	6%	chart
Lamb – Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator	17-Aug	Ac/kg cwt	594	604	-2%	596	<1%	chart
Pig – Eastern Seaboard (60.1-75 kg), average of buyers & sellers	11-Aug	Ac/kg cwt	276	274	<1%	377	-27%	chart
Goat – Eastern States (12.1-16 kg)a	21-Jul	Ac/kg cwt	457	647	-29%	577	-21%	chart
Live cattle – Light steers ex Darwin to Indonesia	19-Aug	Ac/kg lwt	330	320	3%	345	-4%	chart
Live sheep – Live wether (Muchea WA saleyard) to Middle East	14-Aug	$/head	112	140	-20%	93	20%	chart
Global Dairy Trade weighted average pricesb
Dairy – Whole milk powder	15-Aug	US$/t	3,143	3,155	<1%	2,695	17%	chart
Dairy – Skim milk powder	15-Aug	US$/t	1,968	1,966	<1%	2,028	-3%	chart
Dairy – Cheddar cheese	15-Aug	US$/t	4,005	3,932	2%	3,157	27%	chart
Dairy – Anhydrous milk fat	15-Aug	US$/t	6,199	6,289	-1%	4,148	49%	chart

^a Previous week goat indicator price is from 31 July.
^b 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