AUSTRALIA

Soaking rain (15-50 mm or more) in southern Queensland and New South Wales further increased moisture supplies for germinating to emerging summer crops but likely caused some temporary planting delays. In northern growing areas, the rain likely disrupted local wheat harvesting as well but may have benefited later-maturing winter crops farther south. Similarly,scattered showers (5-15 mm) in Victoria and South Australia benefited filling wheat, barley, and canola, helping to maintain good to excellent yield prospects. Elsewhere in the wheat belt,dry weather in Western Australia favored winter crop maturation and harvesting but likely capped the yield potential of immature crops. Temperatures averaged 3 to 4oC above normal in Western Australia, hastening winter grain and oilseed maturation. In contrast, temperatures averaged 2 to 3oC below normal throughout most of southern and eastern Australia, slowing the pace of crop development.