Record low rain for prime agricultural regions

Some of Australia’s prime agricultural regions have reported record low September rainfall, threatening an already downgraded estimate for crop production.

Some of Australia's prime agricultural regions have
repoerted low September rainfall, threatening an already
 downgraded crop estimate for crop production.

During the past four months there have been serious to severe deficiencies across the majority of NSW, southern and coastal parts of Queensland, a large area of southern South Australia, eastern Victoria and eastern Tasmania.

September rainfall in the Murray-Darling Basin, regarded as the nation’s food bowl, was the lowest on record, the Bureau of Meteorology said in its latest drought statement last week.

Rainfall was well below average — ranked in the lowest 10 per cent of records — for a large area of the mainland’s south-east.

For NSW as a whole, September rainfall was the lowest on record, while for Queensland it was the tenth-driest September since records began in 1900.

Read the Country News story - “Record low rain.”

Antarctic sea ice levels hit record low, but experts are not sure why

Sea ice levels in Antarctica dropped to a record low this year, but experts say there is not a clear link to climate change.

 Sea ice levels in the Antarctic have experienced huge variability in the last few years. 

More than 60 meteorologists and scientists from around the world are holding a week-long meeting in Hobart, Tasmania, to better understand sea ice changes on the frozen continent.

Dr Jan Lieser from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre said sea ice levels had experienced a “massive increase” in variability over the past few years.

Read The Guardian story - “Antarctic sea ice levels hit record low, but experts are not sure why.”