Bureau of Meteorology - Services for Agriculture Brochure

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SERVICES FOR AGRICULTURE IN
WESTERN 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
WA Quick Reference Directory 1800 061 436
WA Detailed Directory 1902 935 846

Telephone Weather Services -

Online Directory
National Telephone Weather Services Directory 1900 926 113
WA Full State Service 1900 955 366
WA country forecasts - Northern & Eastern 1900 969 904
WA country forecasts - Southwest Land Division 1900 969 905

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)

For other telephone weather services, consult your telephone directory for these services (in the phone directory under "Weather").

1. GENERAL FORECASTS AND WARNINGS

These are provided to radio, television and the newspapers and can be accessed electronically (see Section 5 for details).
Products include:

State forecasts - summary forecasts for Western Australia for up to 40 hours, issued four times daily, including fire danger ratings when significant.

District forecasts and outlooks - more detailed forecasts for about 24 hours ahead, issued three times daily. The early morning and afternoon issues for each forecast district also include outlooks for a further day. The different districts are identified on the map.

Four day outlook - a four day outlook is routinely prepared for the southwest land division.

Provincial town and city forecasts twice daily temperature forecasts for selected locations for about 24 hours. Worded forecasts are issued twice a day for some of these. Four day outlooks are also issued for selected centres. Refer to the Forecast Districts maps.

Warnings - forecasts of hazardous weather, usually for the next 12 to 24 hours, including:
*	tropical cyclones. Phone 1300 659 210
*	fire weather (conditions favourable for the generation and rapid spread of bushfires)
*	severe thunderstorms (damaging wind gusts, large hail, very heavy rain or tornadoes)
*	gales (wind greater than 63 km/h)
*	floods (generalised warnings of flooding for most areas)
*	Phone 1900 155 371 for recorded warnings (not including tropical cyclones)

2. AGRICULTURAL FORECASTS, WARNINGS AND SERVICES

Warnings for sheep farmers.
*	a warning of cold wet and windy conditions when newly born lambs or newly shorn sheep 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
*	a frost indicator (e.g. scattered, widespread) appended to district forecasts


Direct radio broadcasts
*	on weekdays at 12.35pm over ABC Network
*	regular live crosses are periodically made to various commercial stations and ABC regional and metropolitan stations


Daily press information
*	the weather page in the West Australian newspaper - prepared by the Bureau - includes forecasts, rainfall reports, current and future weather maps - statewide distribution


Weekly weather summaries
*	half page segment published in The Countryman which includes significant weather summary, rainfall and climatological information
*	brief weather details are published in Elders Weekly


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


New services.
*	the Bureau is happy to discuss enhancing its weather and climate services to meet the needs of agricultural industries
Contact: Supervising Meteorologist, Phone (08)9263 2289

3. GENERAL INFORMATION ON RECENT WEATHER

The following can be obtained through subscription:

Bulletins - Daily weather bulletin (observations from about 115 weather stations). Contains:
*	maximum and minimum temperatures
*	rainfall amount over the previous 24 hours
*	9 a.m. weather, temperature, dewpoint, cloud amount, wind speed and direction
Daily, weekly, monthly and annual rainfall bulletins are also available

Monthly Weather Review, Western Australia - available by about the end of the following month. Contents:
*	rainfall - district averages, monthly totals at selected stations, daily totals at selected stations, maps of monthly rainfall (both isohyets and decile ranges)
*	temperature data at daily reporting stations, maps of temperature departures from normal (maximum and minimum)
*	significant weather
*	evaporation and sunshine data
*	water storage in irrigation and metropolitan dams
*	Perth - observations summary
*	daily weather maps, and discussion of the synoptic situation and significant weather
*	normal conditions for the month ahead (e.g. January MWR contains March summary)

Daily Synoptic Weather Chart (Australia)

(For details of current subscription rates, contact the Western Australian Climate and Consultancy Section, Phone (08) 9263 2222 or Fax (08) 9263 2233)

4. OTHER PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION

Bureau Publications
*	A catalogue of ALL Bureau of Meteorology publications is available free of charge
Contact: The Perth 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 may incur a charge:

*	FARMWEATHER
	- detailed forecasts directed to the agricultural sector for four days and beyond - a fax service for more effective farm planning
		- Central Wheat Belt	1902 935 370
		- Central West and Lower West	1902 935 371
		- Great Southern	1902 935 372
		- Southern Coastal	1902 935 373
		- South West	1902 935 374
- Freepoll 1800 061 404 for further details
Contact: Western Australian Special Services Unit Regional Manager, Phone (08) 9322 4817 Fax (08) 9322 4785


*	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: Special Services Unit Phone (03) 9669 4994 Fax (03) 9669 4670

*	Western Australian rain and weather data and climatological data, including derived data (means, medians, deciles, cumulative frequencies, length of growing period, wind-frequency analyses etc); (various formats)
*	climate surveys
*	consultative services including professional analysis of complex data for Western Australia
Contact: Western Australian Climate and Consultative Services Section, Phone (08) 9263 2222 about any of the above products or services

*	Monthly Rainfall Review and Drought Review for the whole of Australia
	- focus on recent rainfall - annual subscription $41.35 inc GST (2000 price)
Contact: The Publications Section of the Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne on (03) 9669 4312


*	Australian climate data; (various formats)
*	consultative services
Contact: National Climate Centre, Phone(03) 9669 4082


*	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

main directory (Freepoll 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 services (Freepoll 1800 061 440) contains:
- pollfax numbers for satellite pictures, weather charts, marine forecasts and information, national services and advices

Western Australian directory (Freepoll 1800 061 436) contains:
- pollfax numbers for forecasts, warnings and products pertaining to the State including a range of weather products of relevance to agricultural applications.

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). Phone 1900 926 162
- forecasts for country Western Australia which includes provincial city forecasts.
Phone 1900 955 366 (other services are also accessed via this number)

6. MAP OF WESTERN AUSTRALIAN FORECAST DISTRICTS

7. AN OVERVIEW OF THE CLIMATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Western Australia covers an area of some 2.5 million square kilometres and extends over a latitude band from about 14°S to 35°S. Consequently there are many climate zones, ranging from the North Kimberley with heavy rains in the summer 'wet' season, through the interior which is mostly dry and experiences excessive summer heat, to the southwest with its distinctively Mediterranean climate. Tropical cyclones can affect northern regions, particularly, from November to April. On average, two tropical cyclones impact the north-west coast each season. Occasionally these weather systems bring damaging winds and heavy rain into southern areas.

The size of the land mass is a major influence on the state's climate. As one moves away from the coast, annual rainfall generally decreases and the range of temperatures experienced increases. The median annual rainfall exceeds 1000 millimetres in parts of both the far north and the south-west, and decreases to 200 millimetres or less over wide areas across the centre and south-east. The peak period for rainfall gradually shifts from November to April in the Kimberley to a maximum between May and October in the south-west. Temperatures also vary greatly over this wide expanse. Daytime maxima above 40°C are common in inland parts during the summer, but may drop below 10°C in southern areas in winter. Through the cooler months, overnight minima below 5°C occur frequently in the south and inland. Frosts are possible, and snow occasionally falls in the far south, particularly on the Stirling Range.

Annual Average Rainfall Map for Western Australia

8. HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Flood Warning Service
*	the Bureau issues generalised flood warnings containing information about current and expected future heavy rainfall and the liklihood of flooding within major river basins in the State
*	these warnings are issued to the media and the Western Australian State Emergency Service, who work with other agencies to provide a more detailed service in some areas
*	flood warnings are available through the media as well as the Weather by Fax service (1902 935 068) and the Bureau's Internet home page

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, Western Australian Regional Office, Phone (08) 9263 2288 or the Head Office Hydrometeorological Advisory Service, Phone (03) 9669 4609 or Fax *(03) 9669 4725*

BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY OFFICES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

For further information on the products and services outlined in this brochure write to:
	Regional Director, Bureau of Meteorology, Box 1370, West Perth, WA 6872.

Alternatively you may phone, fax or e-mail the office
	Phone (08) 9263 2222 Fax (08) 9263 2211 or (08) 9263 2233 E-mail climate.wa@bom.gov.au

Advice and services are available from:
	Meteorological Office, Port Hedland Phone (08) 9140 1480 Fax (08) 9140 1100 E-mail port_hedland@bom.gov.au

Limited advice and services are available from:
	Meteorological Office, Broome Phone (08) 9192 1211 Fax (08) 9193 6240 E-mail broome@bom.gov.au

	Meteorological Office, Albany Phone (08) 9842 2616 Fax (08) 9842 1055 E-mail albany@bom.gov.au

	Meteorological Office, Geraldton Phone (08) 9923 3671 Fax (08) 9923 3832 E-mail geraldton@bom.gov.au

	Meteorological Office, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Phone (08) 9093 2500 Fax (08) 9093 3424 E-mail kalgoorlie@bom.gov.au

	Meteorological Office, Learmonth Phone (08) 9949 2436 Fax (08) 9949 2788 E-mail learmonth@bom.gov.au

	Meteorological Office, Esperance Phone (08) 9071 5628 Fax (08) 9071 5260 E-mail esperance@bom.gov.au

	Meteorological Office, Carnarvon Phone (08) 9941 1321 Fax (08) 9941 3242 E-mail carnarvon@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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