Down Under Turns Inside Out
For those of you who have stuck with me for awhile, then you’ll be well aware of my love for my home country of Australia. You may also remember that Australia is currently in the midst of what can only be labeled abnormal weather conditions.
The world is currently being affected by a strong La Nina, bringing with it the normal mix of weird weather across the planet. However Australia has not been receiving the increased rainfall traditionally brought to our lands by the decrease in sea temperatures made possible by the regular La Nina.
But much to our discomfort, a simultaneous appearance of the Indian Ocean Dipole has negated all the effects that La Nina normally brings, and forced us to endure a seven year drought. Whether this is coming to an end, reports are unclear. Some believe that this year will see a cessation of the IOD, allowing the strong La Nina to envelop us in to her weathery bosom.
And if you were to visit the northeast and the west of Australia, you’d well be on your way to thinking that the drought has finally broken. But Australian’s have been tricked by that before, and we just don’t want to presume the end is nigh if it really isn’t.
- » See also: Amazing Delivery! Shark Bites Pregnant Shark - Babies Emerge
- » Get EcoWorldly by RSS or sign up by email.
Crops for the past couple of years have diminished, failed and forced many farmers to simply pick up all they own and move to the city, leaving behind farms that have been in families for generations. Others, much too stubborn to leave, have gone further and further in to debt, having to borrow money from the banks and government relief funds.
But as mentioned, Australia has copped several bouts of torrential rain this last little while which have lifted spirits just a little.
According to Reuters, ‘Heavy rains and flooding in northeast Australia have been both a blessing and a curse for drought-hit farmers, but more rain is needed to break a seven-year drought.’ These rains, though not enough to break the drought itself, have provided much needed water to recently planted sorghum crops, and will prevent further help to those wheat farmers waiting to plant their crops in winter.
“We are a long way from getting out of the drought,” Lyndon Pfeffer, grains president of farm group AgForce Queensland, said on Monday. “The main cropping area has certainly missed out. It is still a bit sporadic, it is still just storm rain, general rains have not given everybody a good soaking.”
“Overall things are promising but there are still pockets light on and looking for rain,” he added.
Further south however, in New South Whales, the rain has caused flooding across much of the state, forcing the state government to declare the coastal region a natural disaster area. But it’s not all bad, according to some.
“I think it is fantastic to get the rain,” said Jock Laurie, president of the NSW Farmers Federation. “Unfortunately there is always a few people affected when you get flooding.”
“If you can get a bit more rain and get some water in the storages it will really help out the rice and cotton industry and the irrigation industries,” Laurie added.
All in all, when faced with the prospect of further drought or a bit of flooding, I have no doubt many of the locals would prefer the latter. We need more rain, there is no doubt to that, and we need it across the entire width and breadth of our country. Already many states are facing higher and tougher water restrictions, with our reservoirs and dams sinking rapidly.
Reuters via ENN - Heavy rains flood drought-hit Australian farmers
