Wet! Wet! Wet! … but not for long. June’s weather with Paul Rosser.

Last month we talked about a big dry that is about to set in, with high temperatures & high bushfire risk. So you all thought he must be kidding, it’s raining all through June, every second day. I assure you it’s coming.

June was rainy, 156.0mm for the month with a YTD of 327.5mm. It rained for 15 of the 30 days with two falls of over 25mm (the old inch for those who can remember), 34mm on 19/6 & 37mm on 23/6. We also had a 14.5mm on 7/6 & 17.5mm on 26/6. Yes, it was a good winter month. The record wettest June from the old Aldinga Post Office records was in 1920 when we had 172.0mm. Our 156.0mm is the second highest since1894 when local records began.

How did it compare with previous years:

2023 156.0mm (1) 327.5mm YTD (1)

2022 63.0mm 220.0mm

2021 80.5mm 200.5mm

2020 86.0mm 266.5mm (3)

2019 74.5mm 192.5mm

2018 35.5mm 123.0mm

2017 26.0mm 196.0m

2016 74.5mm 235.5mm (2016 was our wettest year with 670.0mm)

2015 17.0mm 212.0mm

2014 47.0mm 229.0mm

2013 98.0mm (3) 227.0mm

2012 141.0mm (2) 318.0mm (2)

We’ve been in the Arts and Eco Village recording rainfall for 12 years & a bit, since we moved in in September 2011. This has been the wettest June in that time & the highest YTD figure. But all is about to change in August.

The World Meteorology Organisation, part of the United Nations, has called an El Nina in the last 4/5 months of 2023. Australian forecasters a more conservative & saying the factors that determine this are not yet perfectly aligned, that is water temperature & atmospheric temperature but they have announced an El Nina “Alert” which is one away from a declaration. Get your sunscreen out from August onwards.

What’s coming in July? Wet early then rains less frequently with average for the month, if we’re lucky. Then below average until the end of the year. Temperatures will be higher than average in the day & at night. As we shivered in June , the average temperature was higher than normal. Remember it is winter & everything is relative. That is not to say we won’t get the odd rainfall event from cyclones for instance but don’t rely on that to keep your gardens alive. Our “Willy” Creek has flowed rather well this last month as the photos on social media have shown.

The frogs are back in full croak this year which says we are doing something right. Also the Onkaparinga Council bird survey is looking good for our area too.

I noted on the ABC news last evening that the average daily temperature for the Earth for Monday & Tuesday of this week 16.9 & 17.1 degrees, which are the highest average temperatures recorded since records began. I mention this because it was felt that they will be broken again by the end of this year most likely. Food for thought!!!!!!!

As I mentioned last month, we are now entering “Kudilla”, the winter months on the Kaurna calendar (July, August & September). The First Nations people who lived in this area looked to the rains to wash the earth & cleanse it. They called it “Kudinthi”, to wash. It is a good time for vegetable matter to be eaten & plenty of grubs for food. It is a time for ducks & water birds to be nesting. We white people know so little about our land & nature locked away in our homes away from the elements – it’s very sad really.

I’ve been frequenting my Trees for Life bush care site on the top of “Willy” Hill recently & was blown away by the thousands of native orchids. It is hard to walk around without treading on them. If anyone would like a walk through the site I am willing to take up small groups of three to five people to have a look see at them & the wild flowers. Just contact me via comments if you would like to go. They will be short notice visits after checking the weather forecasts.

That’s all, for this month, I’ll catch you in August.