Weather

Sam Starcevich - Farmer Across Borders gives us the latest from the road. Plus your weekly farming weather and all of your rural news.

Geopolitics remains the "dominant risk factor" for Australian agriculture in the year ahead, Rabobank says in its newly-released annual outlook, with the prospect that fast-changing global trade rules and volatile commodity prices are set to continue.

Daniel Puentes. Donald's venue for Australia Day was the pool; a welcome change, as the summer heat was no joke on the day. As the venue opened, people came and set up their chairs and prepared for a fantastic day at the pool. At 10 a.m., the emcee, Chloe Frank gathered everyone's attention for the singing of the national anthem and the reading of the pledge.

Madison Eastmond. Additional hot-weather measures are being adopted by Riverland schools, as students brave an intense heatwave – including yesterday's 49C scorcher – for the first week of the 2026 school year ... "This is definitely the hottest beginning of a school year we have had in a while," said Barmera Primary School principal Jayne Foulds.

An intense and devastating storm hit Central Victoria on Saturday 13 December and cast a weird yellow light ... In Tarrengower, Anne-Maree McComb described the destruction: “It took out trees in a straight line over around 800 metres as well as the roof of our house, spreading debris over about 250 metres. We were watching two storm fronts colliding and a mini tornado circling in our back yard when our back verandah was ripped off, taking the whole roof of the house with it.”

A study tracking not only the forces that drive drought but the damage it leaves behind has revealed that droughts have lasted longer in Australia in recent decades, especially in areas with the most people and farms. UNSW researchers analysed drought trends across Australia between 1911 and 2020 based on rainfall shortages and falling river and dam levels.

Mat Dalby. A Department of Water and Environmental Regulation report, Wilson Inlet (Nullaki) – Condition of the Estuary 2025, was tabled at the Wilson Inlet Community Science Forum ... Department officials presented the report which assesses the main drivers of estuary health that includes rainfall, river flows, catchment condition, nutrient inputs and sandbar dynamics, as well as the estuary's water quality and seagrass pastures.

A sea of red Santa hats on the beach is a common Christmas Day sight in Australia, and a new study pinpoints the exact beaches near you that almost guarantee perfect beachside weather conditions this December 25th 2025.

Cameron Keane explains how mine tyres can be recycled into pretty much free energy and fishing banned in WA? Fiona L Fox delves into this contentious law in your regional news.

The Murray–Darling Basin is virtually certain to become hotter, rainfall likely to become more variable, and droughts very likely to become more frequent and severe, a new publication from the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has found. The MDBA ... released the 2025 Murray–Darling Basin Outlook — a forward-looking assessment...

The world’s farms could become one of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change according to a new international study led by QUT. Published in Plant Physiology, the paper lays out a framework to assess how plant agriculture and synthetic biology innovations can help mitigate climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon storage.

Starting from ... 10 November 2025, the Shire of Ashburton’s Ranger Services will commence annual property inspections to ensure compliance under the Bush Fires Act 1954 and the Emergency Management Act 2005. These inspections are aimed at ensuring properties are prepared for the upcoming bushfire and cyclone seasons.

On Saturday the town and district looked like a disaster zone. After the first storm super cell went through, it doubled back striking again and again. Many windows and skylights smashed, solar panels were severely impacted...

Leader of The Nationals and Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud is calling for a review of the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) new website, following a flood of complaints from locals. Mr Littleproud said it was clear Maranoa locals were not given the information they needed after the recent rain event...

The National Aerial Firefighting Fleet is now in position and ready to respond when disasters hit, as Australia gears up for the 2025-26 Higher Risk Weather Season ... These aircraft are primarily used for firefighting, but can also contribute to supporting Australian communities across the country...

As a critic of the climate catastrophists—and someone who prefers a long-term, science-based view of climate change—I thought I’d share a basic understanding of the science and terminology behind the BoM forecasts we rely on ... Every time a farmer glances at the Bureau’s forecast, the same terms pop up: Indian Ocean Dipole, El Niño–Southern Oscillation, Southern Annular Mode, cold fronts from the Great Southern, tropical moisture feeds, and the Leeuwin Current ...

This week's unseasonably hot weather and fast-moving fires in neighbouring council areas are a timely reminder to Scenic Rim residents to prepare their properties and develop a Bushfire Survival Plan. 

You are invited to livestream this year’s Disaster Challenge Final from Hobart! The three finalist teams are perfecting their pitches and Natural Hazards Research Australia would love you to join us to hear how these could revolutionise infrastructure to strengthen disaster resilience. Are you based in Hobart? Join us at the RACV Hobart Hotel...

Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter, has criticised the slow rollout of the National Flood Warning Infrastructure Network (FWIN) program, warning that Charters Towers and other North West communities are being left exposed.

A range of preparedness activities are underway as the Bureau of Meteorology releases its Higher Risk Weather Season Outlook ... Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said the Albanese Government was working with states and territories to improve disaster management arrangements ...

The scent of blooms and blossoms — coupled with longer, warmer, sunnier days — signals the start of spring and for many, a change in mood ... And while Health Direct, an Australian government-funded source of health advice, reckons that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is rare in this country, there might also be a sense that wintry depression is starting to drift away.

Every time someone brings up the Southern Oscillation Index or the Indian Ocean Dipole, I nod along and drift off. But a recent conversation with an old boarding school mate gave me hope that maybe it’s not as complex as I originally thought and maybe some of the amateur Wheatbelt weather forecasters might have more than half a clue about what's going on out there.