Expert predicts drought’s end

THE Yarra Valley is enjoying its share of what Weatherzone says is the best June winter rainfall around Melbourne for nine years.
And Warburton weather expert Keith Thomas predicts the rains may indicate that the drought period is at an end. In Warburton, Healesville and Hoddles Creek the average rainfall was up for June.
Alma Mitchell in Healesville recorded 130.1mm over 27 days compared with just 58.6mm over 22 days in 2009.
Mr Thomas described the Warburton tally of 139mm, which exceeds the average of 118.9mm by 20mm, as “excellent”.
“The excess in June enabled our six month’s total to reach 593mm, which is now over 15mm ahead of our average of 577.6mm,”he said.
Doug Armstrong recorded 136mm over 16 days at Hoddles Creek, compared with 65mm in June 2009. The six month figure was 512mm this year compared with 321mm in 2009.
Mr Thomas said Melbourne’s storage dams have benefited from the good rains and now hold 610,386mltr which is 33.7 per cent of capacity.
“Last year at this time they held only 26 per cent and in 2008 they held 29.5 per cent,” he said, and dared to make the following prediction: “Good rainfalls and good snow now make it appear that our 13 year drought may be at an end.”