Weekly Australian Climate, Water and Agricultural Update, 5 November 2026

Key issues

• In the week ending 4 November 2026, low-pressure systems brought rainfall and storms to large areas of eastern and central Australia.
  • Cropping regions in Queensland and northern New South Wales saw between 5- 100 and 5- 50 millimetres of rainfall respectively over the period. These falls are expected to support summer crop development and pasture growth but are likely to delay winter crop harvest activities and further planting of summer crops.
• Over the eight days from 5 to 12 November 2026, rainfall is forecast across much of the north and east of Australia.
  • Across eastern cropping regions, falls are expected to be higher in the north, with falls of 10- 50 millimetres in Queensland and10-25 millimetres in northern New South Wales.
  • If realised, these falls are likely to continues to support pasture growth and winter crop grain filling in remaining south-eastern cropping regions where winter cropping is concluding, and summer cropping activities in the northeast. However, following rainfall across many north-eastern regions in the past two week, these expected falls are likely to further delay winter crop harvest activities in these areas and increase the risk of grain quality downgrades due to excess moisture at harvest.
• Rainfall during October 2026 was above average across much of Australia, but below average across parts of the southwest and southeast.
  • Across eastern Australia, these conditions have significantly boosted soil moisture levels for summer crops already in the ground but also restricted access for further planting of summer crops and the harvest of remaining winter crops.
  • However, low rainfall across some cropping regions in the south has likely led to a drawdown of stored soil moisture levels to maintain winter crop yields and pasture growth.
• No water storage level update for the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) is available this week.
• Allocation prices in the Victorian Murray below the Barmah Choke increased from $295/ML on 29 October 2026 to $297/ML on 05 November 2026. Trade from the Goulburn to the Murray is closed. Trade downstream through the Barmah Choke is closed. Trade from the Murrumbidgee to the Murray is open.