A severe lack of rain has Orange on track for its driest June since 1972.
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Just 3.6mm rain has been recorded at the official weather station at Orange Airport this month.
With little rain forecast for the rest of the month it would be the lowest rainfall at the airport since readings were first taken there in 1996.
Rainfall has been recorded at the Orange Agricultural Institute since 1966.
It is currently at 3.2mm – the least since June 1972 which had just 0.8mm.
21 YEARS OF RAINFALL
This time last year sodden sporting fields throughout Orange were unusable and farmers’ dams were overflowing as 219mm fell in June ahead of a record wet winter.
Bureau of Meteorology senior climatologist Emily McVeigh said winter and spring this year were likely to be warm and dry with snowfalls unlikely.
“We’ve had quite a lot of high pressure systems over the south and they are blocking the cold fronts,” she said.
“All the rain that they bring usually over Orange, they are not making their way over.”
Orange City Council mayor John Davis said Suma Park dam was sitting at just over 80 per cent capacity and sports fields were open.
“This year staff like the curator of Wade Park, Bruce Cousins, will be watering the fields when it’s needed because of the dry weather but we’ll be better placed to have sport every weekend,” he said.
“It’s the same at the Botanic Gardens, Cook Park and Robertson Park. Staff will be keeping a close eye on the grass and will give it some water if needed.”
Orchardist Joe Caltabiano said farmers needed rain to fill dams to provide water for irrigation across summer.
“I’m hoping July-August will be reasonably wet,” Mr Caltabiano said.
He said the water level at both his dams were well down.