FARMERS are desperately looking to the sky for rain as Armidale endures one of its driest January periods in history.
In what is normally the region’s most plentiful month for rain, less than 15 millimetres have fallen since New Year’s Day.
Some rain is forecast for tomorrow and Friday, but Bureau of Meteorology observer Michael Glasson said it wouldn’t go close to breaking the drought.
“Thursday is probably the best day for rain, but I don’t think there will be any more than 10mm,” he said.
“The three-month seasonal outlook isn’t showing a lot of rain on the horizon. For that to change there might need to be some cyclonic activity in the northern gulf area.
“Rain would then move down as a result.”
Northern Tablelands graziers are not confident and have been moving stock off their property at a rapid rate.
Last week a group of Guyra farmers met with MP Adam Marshall and Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner to discuss some of the problems caused by drought.
Sam White, who runs Bald Blair Angus and another property in the region, said the politicians were well aware of the current situation.
“We just need it to rain. We’ve only had 1.5mm of rain over the last couple of days and that’s been it for the month,” he said.
“We’ve had no spring rain for the past two years and we had a wet November and dry December, so it’s been tough.”
