Six weeks from water disaster

[Richard]

I thought the story was funny too. I can imagine what it would be like trying to evacuate 11 million people.

MN, I heard that too about Art Bell.

[Astrojewels]

I do not know who Art Bell is?

[Get Boldened]

Art Bell is some radio guy that does shows on the paranormal and hosts articles on coast to coast am. You can search him up on google. his website is at
http://www.coasttocoastam.com/

[Astrojewels]

Thanks GB, I will take a look.

[Richard]

It sounds like good news for Australia.  icon_smile

Beginning of the end for drought: bureau
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The El Nino weather system has run its course and the weather bureau says the worst drought in a century could be coming to an end, as heavy rain soaked parched south-eastern Australia.

Inland NSW and north-east Victoria enjoyed heavy rainfall on Friday, with reports of 20-30mm falling in some areas and as high as 53mm in country Victoria, Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) senior forecaster Phil King said.

Mr King confirmed the rainfall was promising for all industries, as farmers fought to survive on the land.

And western NSW has received a drenching not seen for seven years.

While farmers are benefiting from the soakings, Mr King said water reservoirs and catchments across the country had yet to record a significant volume change.

Mr King said the rainfall reflected a shift in weather patterns back to a more normal situation following an end to the drought-making El Nino and signs emerging of its opposite, a La Nina, which brings rain.

"The El Nino is over," he said.

"The global patterns are indicating there are more neutral and natural conditions and with the rainfalls, there are signs we have returned to more normal patterns."

Mr King said the more regular weather pattern showed signs that "this is the beginning of the end of the drought".

A weather front which built up in the far west of the state on Tuesday has moved steadily east, reaching Sydney about 3am (AEST) on Friday morning.

The rain fell on most of NSW.

According to the BoM, areas around Bourke, Menindee, Cobar and Ivanhoe recorded the most rain since heavy falls in 2000.

Bourke received 72mm in the 24 hours until 9am (AEST) Friday.

"That area hasn't had falls of more than 50mm since 2000, so that's a good seven-year period," a BoM spokeswoman in NSW said.

"I'm sure some of the youngsters are not overly familiar with (rain) events like this one."

The biggest winner out of the rain system was Tibooburra, west of Bourke, which received 75mm.

The central west also received significant falls with a 48mm drenching in Orange and Oberon, while Bathurst got 55.6mm in the 24 hours until 9am Friday.

Farmer John Oldfield recorded 58mm overnight on his 40,468ha family property 120km north of Bourke.

"You just sit there listening to it," he said.

"We've had about six years of very low rainfall - this is a significant fall."

A low was expected to develop off the far south-east coast of NSW as the system moved east, bringing rain to southern areas.

The bureau issued a sheep graziers warning for wet and windy weather throughout much of the state, including the mid-north coast, central west and south-west.

In Victoria, snow is forecast next week.

Mr King said a stronger cold front would cross the state on Monday.

"I think it looks like a front that's strong enough to bring good cold enough conditions for snow (to mountain regions)," he said.

Victoria's heaviest falls after 9am (AEST) Friday of 53mm were recorded at Ouyen, in the state's north-west, and Strathbogie in the north-east, while 46mm fell at Lake Eildon also in the north-east.

Melbourne's metropolitan area received about 10mm in the south-eastern suburbs.

The falls come just three days after Melbourne endured its driest 12 months on record.

A 40-year record was broken at 9am (AEST) on May 15 with only 316.4mm of rainfall recorded in the previous 365 days - less than half the average annual rainfall of 638.8mm.

The Australian Capital Territory had significant rainfall but not enough to top up its catchments.

Like Victoria, Tasmania received widespread rainfall.

On Saturday, rain will clear from southeast Queensland and showers will continue across Tasmania, Victoria and southern NSW.

Westerly winds will cause more rainfall along the far South Australian Coast and southwest Western Australia.

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/beginni...8-dk8.html

[Astrojewels]

Yes we have had some really nice rain, it has been great, not enough to say the drought has broke. It is amazing how quickly nature structures herself, a little rain and we have green grass, the trees and mountains look alive once again, the frogs are out and even the birds that are usually gone by now are still around, it is a beautiful time.