Widespread rain has left a green landscape

Above average rainfalls and lower than regular temperatures has the region looking anything but arid.

Far from the heavy rains that caused flooding and widespread damage in January this year, these events left smiles on the faces of many a pastoralist – and maybe the need for a few fence and road repairs.

There’s not been an area of the region that has missed out this year.

All of the unusual weather patterns are recorded on weather stations across the SA Arid Lands. Five stations provide data from areas that were previously in a weather black spot. Located at Cowarie, Curnamona, Mobella, William Creek and Wintinna, these stations provide up to date and historical data on temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity and the fire danger index.

A look at the data will tell you that from 11-19 October Mobella received 147.6mm, Cowarie was hit with 43km/h winds on November 1, but that wind didn’t dampen the 54mm that fell in October and 33mm that followed in November. Wintinna had a relative humidity of 98% on 26 October – a day the property received 18mm.

With the rain and sunshine comes an increased risk of pest plants and animals.

The conditions are just right for weeds to grow alongside your native grasses. Your community landscape officers are available to help with identification and advice on control.

Wild dogs breed at this time of year and can quickly grow in numbers that are difficult to control. While numbers are low, it is a sustained baiting effort that will keep them low. Reporting of wild dog activity through Wild Dog Scan or on paper maps is important to provide information on dog activity to guide targeted control and aerial baiting programs.

You can find your local weather station, as well as more from the Alyinytjara Wiluṟara Landscape region on our website at www.landscape.sa.gov.au/saal/land/climate/weather-stations