48-hour deluge flattens crops as farmers prepare for harvest
In the WA's Goldfields, Kalgoorlie-Boulder recorded four times its normal September rainfall, while some gauges in the south of the state recorded almost 100 millimetres.
Western Australia experienced a rapid 48-hour downpour that left crops flattened, as farmers were preparing for the upcoming harvest. This intense rainstorm occurred after the South West Land Division recorded one of its driest Julys on record. The deluge brought over 100 millimetres of rain in some areas, while the Goldfields region, including Kalgoorlie-Boulder, received four times its usual amount of rainfall for September.
Bremer Bay farmer Peter Buckenara reported receiving 78 millimetres of rain in his area and 94 millimetres closer to town.
However, some crops suffered damage due to the heavy rainfall. Oats were either lodged or fallen over, requiring special handling for harvesting. While canola and wheat conditions appeared stable, farmers like Buckenara were eager for a break in the rain to allow their fields to dry out. The Bureau of Meteorology's Grace Abbott noted that the system had largely dissipated by Sunday night, with light to moderate rainfall expected on the south coast throughout the following days.
Farmers further north reported varying levels of rainfall, with some areas receiving significantly less than others. Gnowangerup farmer Timm House mentioned receiving only 2 millimetres on one farm and 19 millimetres on another. Despite the uneven distribution of rain, House expressed hope that the harvested amount would still provide an average yield.
He and other farmers were optimistic about the rainfall, believing it would help mitigate the effects of a dry year that only saw the region accumulate around 200 millimetres.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
