Murray Local Land Services

Conditions remain challenging, with improvement slowing in parts of the region.

• December rainfall was near average across much of the region. Longer-term rainfall deficits persist in the east of the region.
• Warm temperatures will see the management of soil moisture and stock water supplies remain a consideration for summer.
• The drought forecast suggests that a further expansion of the Drought-Affected category into the western parts of the region is likely by the end of March. The DPIRD continues to closely monitor conditions in this region.

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Normalised Difference Vegetation Index

Plant greenness levels remain highly variable across the region during the October to December period; anomalies remain below average for parts of the region.

Note that some of the extremely negative NDVI areas (brown patches) are water bodies.

The NDVI anomaly is a useful measure of vegetation density and plant health. It estimates the amount of green vegetation there is in the landscape compared to what is expected at the given time of year, against the baseline period 1987 - 2020.

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Individual Drought Indicators

Drought indicators remainvariable across the region.

• Follow-up rainfall will be needed to ensure conditions are maintained through summer.
• The underlying drought indicator values remain low for some regions (including Holbrook).
• Other locations in the west of the region are experiencing a rapid decline in the underlying drought indicator values (including at Moulamein).
• Further rainfall is crucial across the region to ensure conditions are maintained or improved.

To access a Drought History chart for your Parish, visit the Seasonal Conditions Information Portal.