The new tools will help improve farm gate productivity and profitability by allowing users to drill down to their location to view the chance of unseasonal and extreme rainfall and temperature in the weeks, months or seasons ahead.
Bureau agriculture and water manager Matthew Coulton said the tools were informed by farmers’ day-to-day needs and developed in consultation with the agricultural sector.
“The tools will help a livestock producer decide when to schedule their muster for the safety of their stock and staff, or a horticulturalist choose the day to plant their seeds with confidence that they won't be washed away,” Mr Coulton said.
The three new tools provide rainfall and temperature forecasts for weekly, monthly and seasonal time frames at specific locations; the probability of rainfall over a week, month or season exceeding any amount; and outlooks for three-day rainfall bursts at significant measurements of 15, 25, 50 and 75 millimetres.
“The bureau is committed to product design that is fit-for-purpose for Australian businesses that rely on our information for their operations,” Mr Coulton said.
“We've worked with the sector to understand their needs and develop tools that enhance their decision-making capability and reduce their risk.”
The new tools are the final instalment of the Federal Government's Forewarned is Forearmed project, a partnership with research and industry sectors.
The tools can be viewed on the bureau's website at: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/outlooks.
