Starting off 2017 with good left over moisture in the soil from last year and that was all good. The North west of NSW started dramatically with rain and hail and the SES being active in working off any accumulated Christmas cheer.

Some heavy rain in March, in the Central West NSW and with most of the Harvest over most were happy. Further North and to the East saw the remnants and edge of cyclone Debbie. The months ahead made way for a very dry winter and a dry start to spring. The clear winter nights with little cloud meant warmer night time temperatures and it stayed dry until October with October and December the only months to exceed the average rainfall.

Though the year was the driest since 2006 the average rainfall came in at 18% below the average. The exception was the North East of NSW where above average rainfalls were measured.

The moist end to the year has meant lots of spraying and the good news for our customers out of our store in Geraldton WA is that the summer rain has arrived with a vengeance.

To round it out 2017 was one of the warmest on record and the driest since 2006.

Here is shat the experts are saying about the start to the year