Bureau of Meteorology - Services for Agriculture Brochure

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SERVICES FOR AGRICULTURE IN
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Access weather and climate information by:

Internet -

http://www.bom.gov.au for the web home page
http://www.bom.gov.au/silo for meteorological information for rural industries
http://www.bom.gov.au/silo/products/Meteograms.shtml for computer weather guidance for a specific location (by subscription)

Weather by Fax -

Online Directory
National Quick Reference Directory 1800 630 100
National Detailed Directory 1800 061 440
SA Quick Reference Directory 1800 061 435
SA Detailed Directory 1902 935 845

Telephone Weather Services -

Online Directory
National Telephone Weather Services Directory 1900 926 113
SA Full State Service 1900 955 365
SA Country Service 1900 926 189

Telephone Weather Services Call Charges:
1900 numbers: 77c per minute incl. GST; 1300 numbers: Low call cost - around 27.5c incl. GST.
(More from international, satellite, mobile or public phones)

Other telephone weather services are listed under "Bureau of Meteorology" in the telephone directory.

The information for agriculture provided in South Australia by the Bureau of Meteorology can be divided into the following categories:

General forecasts and warnings which can be used by all sectors of the community.
Forecasts, warnings and services specifically for agricultural purposes.
General information on recent weather.
Other products, services and information.

You may also like to check out:

Additional information on access and delivery methods.
Map of South Australian forecast districts.
An overview of the climate of South Australia.
Hydrological Services in South Australia.

1. GENERAL FORECASTS AND WARNINGS

These are provided to radio, television and the newspapers and can be accessed electronically

State forecasts - summary forecasts for South Australia for about the next 24 hours, issued three times daily.

District forecasts and outlooks - more detailed forecasts for about 24 hours ahead and outlooks for up to three more days for each forecast district, issued three times daily. District boundaries are shown on the map.

Provincial city forecasts - twice daily temperature forecasts for selected towns and cities for about 24 hours. These towns and cities are shown on the map.

Advices and Warnings - forecasts of hazardous weather, usually for the next 3 to 12 hours, including:
*	fire weather (conditions favourable for the rapid spread of bush fires)
*	severe wind (mean wind greater than 63 km/h or gusts greater than 90 km/h)
*	severe thunderstorms (damaging wind gusts, large hail, very heavy rain or tornadoes) - limited by areas of radar coverage
*	floods (warnings of minor, moderate or major flooding for selected river basins)

2. AGRICULTURAL FORECASTS, WARNINGS AND SERVICES

Direct radio broadcasts
*	on weekdays at 12.35pm over ABC Regional networks (Country Hour)
*	on weekdays at 6.45am, 11.35am and 4.35pm over ABC radio 5AN and regional stations
*	check your local airwaves

The Seasonal Climate Outlook.
*	provides monthly detailed updates on El Niño indicators (including a six month El Niño outlook)
*	gives an outlook on rainfall and temperatures for the next three months for all regions in Australia
*	can be obtained through subscription - Phone (03) 9669 4603 for details OR
*	through Weather by Fax on 1902 935 251 (rainfall) OR
*	through WeatherCall (Voice) Services on 1900 926 162 OR
*	on the Internet at http://www.bom.gov.au/silo/products/SClimate.shtml

Warnings sheep farmers
*	a warning of cold wet windy conditions when newly shorn sheep or newly born lambs will be at risk
*	based on results from field experiments relating chill factor to wind speed, rainfall and temperature values
*	issued year round

Frost risk forecasts.
*	for Riverland, Murray Bridge, Salisbury, Two Wells, Virginia, the Barossa Valley, Coonawarra and Padthaway
*	issued from mid-May to mid-November

Downy mildew service
*	operates on a needs basis at the appropriate time, through consultation between the Department of Primary Industries and the Bureau
*	seeks to inform viticulturalists whether rain and humidity over a three to four day period are critical to the development of infection

Forecasts for fruit drying.
*	specific advice for fruit growers is broadcast over the Country Hour Program of the ABC
*	operates during the Summer months

Warnings for barley growers
*	warnings of prolonged periods of strong winds for the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas
*	issued during November and December

3. GENERAL INFORMATION ON RECENT WEATHER

The following can be obtained through subscription:
Bulletins - Daily weather bulletin (observations from about 80 weather stations). Contents:
*	maximum and minimum temperatures
*	rainfall amount over the previous 24 hours
*	9 a.m. temperature, dewpoint, cloud amount, winds speed and direction, and sea state
Daily, weekly, monthly and annual rainfall bulletins are also available
River Height Bulletin also available (see Section 8 for details)

Monthly Weather Review - Available by about the end of the following month. Contents:
*	fire bans and bush fire overview (relevant months)
*	rainfall - district averages, monthly totals at selected stations, daily totals at selected stations
*	temperature data at daily reporting stations
*	dates of selected phenomena
*	evaporation and sunshine data
*	water storage available for irrigation
*	Adelaide - observations summary, climatological statistics
*	Maps - daily weather, monthly rainfall (both isohyets and decile ranges), departures from normal temperatures (maximum and minimum)
*	summary of normal conditions for the current month (e.g. January MWR contains February summary)

Climate Summary Available on the first working day of the following month. It provides a summary of:
*	Adelaide observations
*	rainfall
*	significant weather
*	temperature across the State

Daily Synoptic Weather Chart (Australia)

Monthly Rainfall Review and Drought Review (Australia)
*	focus on recent rainfall

(For details of current subscription rates, Phone (08) 8366 2600 or Fax (08) 8366 2693)

4. OTHER PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION

New Services
*	the Bureau is happy to discuss enhancing its weather and climate services to meet the needs of agricultural industries
Contact: the Weather Service Coordinator for South Australia, Phone (08) 8366 2635 or Fax (08) 8366 2683

Bureau Publications
*	a catalogue of ALL Bureau of Meteorology publications is available free of charge
Contact: The Adelaide Office or The Publications Section of the Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne on (03) 9669 4312

National Benchmark Network for Agrometeorology
*	a project of the National Committee for Agrometeorology
*	a network of about 190 observing stations, many of which are automatic weather stations, chosen to provide data in areas important to agriculture
*	a subset of the Bureau's observational network
*	instrumented with sensors specific to the requirements of agriculture
*	being progressively implemented
Contact: Services Policy Branch, Phone (03) 9669 4705

The following products and services will incur a charge:

*	FARMWEATHER
	- detailed forecasts directed to the agricultural sector for four days and beyond for key locations - a fax service for more effective farm planning
	Region	Pollfax Number
	- Eastern	1902 935 366
	- Central Agricultural	1902 935 367
	- Eyre Peninsula	1902 935 368
	- Coonawarra	1902 935 361
	- Freepoll 1800 061 404 for further details
Contact: Special Services Unit, Phone (03) 9669 4994


*	RAINMAN
	- RAinfall INformation for better MANagement - a software package developed by the Queensland Department of Primary Industry (QDPI) using data supplied by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) - designed as a management tool where activities are significantly affected by rainfall - provides information about the probability of a certain amount of rain occurring at a particular time, thus making it easier to plan such operations as planting and harvesting - based upon the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), linked to the broadscale weather pattern over Australia - contains rainfall records for almost 4,000 locations Australia-wide from the beginning of recorded observations - has the facility for users to enter their own rainfall data to allow examination of the effects of the SOI on rainfall probabilities at their own location - accompanying booklet Will It Rain provides explanations of the El Niño phenomenon and other aspects of Australia's climate - regular updates available
Contact: South Australian Regional Office Phone (08) 8366 2600

*	real-time South Australian rain and weather data and climatological data, including secondary data (means, medians etc) and tertiary data (deciles, cumulative frequencies, length of growing period, wind-frequency analyses etc); (available in various formats)
*	climate surveys and other consultative services including professional analysis of complex data for South Australia
*	weather charts and the latest satellite imagery over fax(South Australian focus).
*	seasonal outlook (South Australian focus)
Contact: The South Australian Climate and Consultancy Section, Phone (08) 8366 2600

*	Farming a Sunburnt Country
	- an award winning, 35 minute video and manual on El Niño and drought - 'Managing Australia's variable climate' is just one of the topics - compered by Neil Inall - contains interviews with farmers and scientists - $21.95 inc GST (2000 price)
Available from: Bureau of Meteorology, Climate Analysis, Phone (03) 9669 4072

5. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON ACCESS AND DELIVERY METHODS

Internet
*	the Bureau of Meteorology Internet home page is http://www.bom.gov.au - many different products available including forecasts, charts, satellite pictures, climatic information - included in this suite of products is:
*	SILO - a specialised Internet web site jointly administered by the Bureau of Meteorology and QDPI - accessible from BoM home page viz. http://www.bom.gov.au/silo - provides a large selection of meteorological and agricultural information (much of which is cost free) relevant to anyone in the agricultural arena

Weather by Fax

a polled facsimile information service providing access to more than 150 services
- includes forecasts, warnings, the Seasonal Climate Outlook, satellite pictures, charts, bulletins,information on Bureau products, pamphlets and other relevant information

National Quick Reference Directory (1800 630 100) contains:
- general information relating to the Weather by Fax service, including advices of new services,details of other sub-directories and services, hints and guidance on using the Weather by Fax service, and a listing of contact telephone and fax numbers for gaining further information and assistance
- updated monthly

National Detailed Directory (1800 061 440) contains:
- pollfax numbers for satellite pictures, weather charts, marine forecasts and information, national services and advices

South Australian Directory (Freepoll 1800 061 435) contains:
- pollfax numbers for an increasing number of forecasts, warnings and products pertaining to the State

Telephone Weather Services

provides up-to-date recorded forecasts by telephone using Telstra's 1900 system. (1900 numbers are mainly collectives, that is, the state numbers allow access to the metropolitan, marine, country and capital city temperature services for that state through a single entry number

National Telephone Weather Services Directory (1900 926 113) gives 1900 services for all states through a single number OR

poll Weather by Fax on 1902 935 254 for a list of all Telephone Weather Services

key WeatherCall numbers:
- a three month rainfall outlook (a seasonal rainfall forecast comparing expected rainfall with average rainfall);(not always available for South Australian Districts). Phone Phone 1900 926 162
- forecasts for country South Australia which includes provincial city forecasts. Phone 1900 955 365. (other services are also accessed via this number)

7. AN OVERVIEW OF THE CLIMATE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The climate of South Australia varies from hot and dry in the interior to the milder, wetter climes of the southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the southeast of South Australia. Median annual rainfall ranges from about 100 millimetres in the area east of Lake Eyre (the driest part of the Australian continent), to more than 1000 millimetres on the higher parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges.

Most of the northern half of the state encompasses the arid 'interior' with mean annual rainfall below 250 millimetres. Temperatures in the low 40's are not uncommon in the north of the State during the height of summer, dropping to below 2^oC overnight in winter. In the southern half of the state temperature ranges are less extreme, moderating along the coast to the mid to high 20's in summer with occasional frosty inland nights during winter.

Annual Average Rainfall Map for South Australia

8. HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Flood Warning Service
*	warnings contain information about the likelihood of flooding and its possible impacts and are designed to protect life and reduce the damaging impacts of floods
*	this service is provided by the Bureau working in close cooperation with the South Australian State Emergency Service, police and local authorities
*	these warnings can assist those in the agricultural industry by providing time to allow stock to be moved to higher ground, for the removal of irrigation pumps from rivers or for temporary floodproofing measures
*	these warnings are issued by the Bureau to the media, emergency management agencies such as the SES and police, and local agencies
*	flood warnings are also available through the Bureau's Internet home page
*	flood warnings are only issued for selected rivers in South Australia
Contact (for further details of services provided for your area): The South Australian Regional Office, Phone (08) 8366 2669

River Height Bulletins
*	part of the flood warning service
*	issued each weekday for about 50 locations on South Australian rivers, with information on: - current river height - the change since the last reading - the height at which flooding commences

For information about:
*	Rainfall Intensity-Frequency-Duration (IFD) information for any Australian location. - useful in many applications including the design of drainage systems, small dams, etc.
Contact: Either the Hydrology Section, South Australian Regional Office, Phone (08) 8366 2669 or the Head Office Hydrometeorological Advisory Service, Phone (03) 9669 4609 or Fax *(03) 9669 4725*

BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY OFFICES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

For further information on the products and services outlined in this brochure write to:
	Regional Director, Bureau of Meteorology, GPO Box 421, Kent Town, SA 5071.

Alternatively you may phone, fax or e-mail the office
	Phone (08) 8366 2600 Fax (08) 8366 2693 E-mail Climate.sa@bom.gov.au

Limited advice and services are also available from:
	Meteorological Office, Mt Gambier
	Phone (08) 8725 5533 Fax (08) 8725 8836 E-mail Mtgambier@bom.gov.au

	Meteorological Office, Ceduna
	Phone (08) 8625 2048 Fax (08) 8625 3457 E-mail Ceduna@bom.gov.au

	Meteorological Office, Woomera
	Phone (08) 8673 7271 Fax (08) 8673 7437 E-mail Woomera@bom.gov.au

HEAD OFFICE OF THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY

	The Director Bureau of Meteorology GPO Box 1289K Melbourne, VIC 3001

	Phone (03) 9669 4000

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