SA and VIC Drought – On Going

Article Written by Nikko Gilbert

Here is my write up on the ongoing drought in SA and VIC

South Australia

As you can see in the image to the left, Southern areas of SA have experienced some of the driest weather on record over the last 24 months at least. Constant dry conditions have kept most of the rain away from SA, Even cold fronts that brought good rain to WA and Eastern VIC, seem to just bypass SA, giving nothing more then a few drops of rain and dry lightning storms. This has been absolutely devastating for the farmers in the region. SA has some of the lowest rainfall amounts in the best of years but these last few have been very poor over all. Sure there have been a couple good months here and there that have made the yearly total look healthy but these are anomalies that make little difference when surrounded by lower rainfall months.

Victoria

The western southern side of Victoria has experienced the same conditions as SA. Where plenty of storms have formed but there fast tracking nature or low rainfall rates have been of no help in the longer term. Fires raged through the Grampians and other areas.  All in all its been an awful dry period for both regions. So lets look at what has fell against averages.

Example for SA: Adelaide

 

 

As explained above, for Adelaide at least, its had a few good months here and there that have caused yearly figures to look good on paper. 2022 and 2023 did well especially 2022, but 2024 was when the worst began and just got worse in 2025. Unlike SW WA that saw a great rainy season last winter, Adelaide did not. Last rainy season they had a great June but rainfall grafually dropped away from there. Each month doing worse than both the mean and median rainfall a, it may not be record breaking per month but when added together, especially in the last 12 months, its caused record breaking drought right across the Adelaide, Adelaide Hills, Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula, Part of the West coastal areas and Lower South East regions. There is no significant rainfall forecast for the next month at least. Winter outlooks are currently looking promising but long range hasn’t been the best of late. The below image is 24 month rainfall percentages, Considering its also taking an above average season in to consideration, it tells a sad story. 50 to 70% of rainfall as been seen across large areas of SA. In the region affected, they are seeing old native trees dying. These are trees designed for the dry yet cannot cope. Farmers are struggling to get hay for their animals due to ridiculous legislation, hay being confiscated at the border between SA and VIC or NSW. It should not be happening to these poor people, people who work so hard to get food on the table for millions of Australians, there plees are being ignored by the majority. Its just awful.

The next map shows how much below average they are, the Adelaide Hills are definitely the worse off at this time. That is a major growing area in that region as well, so not good at all.

 

Example for Victoria: Warrnambool

Like SA, Victoria has seen a lack of rainfall over a massive area of the west. Resulting in long term deficiencies. There have been a few good months over the last 24 month period but over all yearly averages have been below the annual mean and the annual median. Percentage of average over the last 24 months have been between 50 and 90% over large areas state., Not as bad as SA but still depressing. Areas mostly affected are around South West, Wimmera and Mallee, as well as North East and Melbourne to a less degree. Once again it is the length of the drought that’s the problem, not individual months. Although a few were broken last year for monthly low rainfall, the lack of rain over time is the issue.

Below are the anomalies. Showing big 24 month deficiencies with up to 1200mm missing in places.

 

Now I am going to include some photos of around the area. These are follower submissions. If credits for photos are wrong, please contact me on info@thewanderingweatherman.com or text 0467040252 so I can correct. I included as many as possible to show the story. I may end up doing up a second article to show the photos I didn’t include in this main write up.