Online weather forecaster accuweather.com.au has predicted another dry month for Orange in December with a week of sunny days leading up to Christmas.

The forecast comes as long range predictions, up to 2039, suggest Orange will have up to 20 less freezing cold nights every year, an increase in maximum temperatures of up to one degree on average, and an increase in minimum temperatures of about 0.5 degrees.

The projections by the joint-government NSW and ACT Regional Climate Modelling project [NARCLIM] appear on the ADAPT NSW website.

Projected changes for the Central West and Orana areas, including Orange, also point to far more rain in autumn and far less in spring.

“Cold nights are projected to decrease across the region by an average of eight nights per year by 2030,” it found.

“The greatest decreases are seen around Orange and Bathurst which are projected to experience 10-20 fewer cold nights per year.

“Changes in cold nights

can have considerable impacts of native ecosystems and agricultural crops reliant on cold winters.”

The study found the situation would increase even further long term with 20-30 fewer cold nights on average by 2060-79.

Less spring rain is set to become the norm in Orange the further this century goes on.

“Spring is projecting a decrease across the region with the greatest decreases near Orange.”

The report has also predicted higher fire dangers.

“Severe fire weather is projected to increase across the region by 2030 during summer and spring,” it said.