According to www.weatherzone.com.au, which took its readings at Orange Regional Airport, Orange received just 17.8 millimetres of rain in July, almost 90 millimetres down on the 20-year average (105.5 millimetres).

Data compiled from weatherzone, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), and the Haldane and Fields 100-year rainfall history chart revealed there have been just four other Julys in the past century with less rain.

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Only 1970 (13 millimetres), 1967 (17), 1937 (13) and 1929 (11) saw less in the city’s rain gauges than the last month.

July saw continued drought conditions for 2018, with the 220.4 millimetres to fall since January 1 less than half of the 1996-2017 average (564.1 millimetres).

Weatherzone data also showed that Orange recorded two of its warmest July days in 20 years with a 16.2 degree day in the first week of the month and a 15.9 degree day during the last week.

The coldest day was recorded on July 20 which failed to get passed 3.8 degrees celsius.

The lowest overnight temperature was recorded on July 15 when it dropped to a low of -7.2 degrees.

The BoM's outlook for winter shows that odds sharply favour the drier and warmer-than-normal weather to continue, with August to October likely to be drier than average for most of mainland Australia.

The forecast for the next seven days looks slightly more positive for farmers, with an 80 per cent chance of less than six millimetres of rain on Friday and a 60 per cent chance of between 8 to 15 millimetres next Monday.