Drought grips Western Australia as July rainfall hits record low

Farmers across Western Australia are anxiously awaiting rain as July recorded the driest conditions since 2012, raising concerns about potential crop failures and water scarcity. The Bureau of Meteorology reported an average of just 6.86 millimeters of rain across all WA districts last month, making it the fourth-driest July on record since 1900.

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It's a part of the year that can get you out of trouble and set you up for spring, and we just haven't had it this year.

Below-average rainfall plagued the South West, Central West, and Interior districts. The South West, crucial for agriculture, received only 42.05mm of rain, a stark contrast to the usual 112.9mm, marking its second-driest July after 2012. This dry spell arrived at a critical juncture for crops, which typically rely on winter rains to establish for the spring growing season.

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We are very dry at the moment, and we shouldn't be this way going into August.

Paul O'Meehan, a beef and mixed crop farmer near Borden, expressed his desperation for rain. "It's a part of the year that can get you out of trouble and set you up for spring, and we just haven't had it this year," he said. O'Meehan's investment in lining his dam catchments last year has provided some relief for his cattle, but he noted that water would soon become a significant problem for the district.

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We're probably about two-thirds full, but we've probably pumped a good third into the bottom dam … It's amazing what we've caught.

Further north in Pingelly, grain producer Kevin O'Brien echoed these concerns, stating that farmers are "staring down the barrel of very below-average yields." While diversifying into livestock has offered some protection, O'Brien acknowledged that pure grain farmers are facing immense financial pressure. He stressed the urgent need for double the average rainfall in August and September to salvage the season.

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In fact, water will be a problem around the district big time, pretty shortly.