Central Tablelands Local Land Services

Short-term rainfall deficits drive a decline in conditions across much of the region.

• April rainfall was average to well below average across much of the region.
• Parts of the region have transitioned into the NSW CDI Drought Affected category during the month, with a further decline likely over the coming months.
• Drier conditions have increased the importance of pasture management, livestock health monitoring and cropping program decisions as winter approaches.
• Further rainfall is needed to ensure the production outlook remains positive for producers through autumn and into winter. Producers are closely monitoring forecasts to assist with their management strategies.
• The drought forecast suggests that the region will likely see a decline of conditions by 31 July 2025, with parts of the region transitioning into the Drought Affected category (with low to moderate model agreement and moderate past accuracy).

Click on the scroll bar below the map to compare with previous months.

Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)

Plant greenness levels remain above average for most of the region for the February to April period. Anomalies remain below average for parts of the region.

Some of the extremely negative NDVI areas (brown patches) are water bodies or from the influence of forestry operations.

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.

Individual drought indicators

Drying trend evident in the drought indicators across the region.

• There is an underlying decline in the indicators for some locations, particularly in the south of the region.
• This is due to a short to medium term rainfall deficits across parts of the region.

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