EARLY July rainfall might have caused issues for some farmers, such as waterlogging or with trafficability, but generally it was well received by growers across WA's agricultural region.
Farm Weekly has spoken to several grain and livestock farmers from across the State, who said the excellent start to the season had continued with good rainfall.
Although some areas were reported as being a bit too wet for crops, livestock producers were loving the rain with plenty of feed on the ground and large amounts of water in dams, including many being full.
Overall, farmers generally felt positive about the season ahead and had their fingers crossed that the good conditions would continue and lead to a soft finish for harvest.
Earlier this month, a cold front moved across the South West and southern regions of the State and an associated low pressure system in the south tracked across the Great Australian Bight, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
Moderate rainfall was recorded in the South West and lighter falls were recorded in the South Coastal areas.
"Widespread moderate rainfall was recorded in most of the South West Land Division (SWLD), with heavier daily totals of 30 millimetres to 60mm recorded in and around the Perth metropolitan area, and South West and south coast," BoM stated.
The bureau recorded another strong cold front across the South West and southern districts of WA, along with a pre-frontal trough and associated cloudband extending from the North West.
"A strong low pressure system, connected to the front, tracked across the south west of the State," BoM said.
"Widespread moderate rainfall totals were recorded in the Gascoyne, along the west coast and far south west of Western Australia, with light falls in the northern and eastern SWLD and the adjacent Goldfields District."
Rainfall totals exceeded 100mm in areas from the Perth hills down to the forest regions of the South West, along with recordings more than 50mm in western parts of the SWLD, and between 10-50mm of rain was reported in much of the Gascoyne, Central West districts and other areas of the SWLD.
In comparison, rainfall in July 2020 was below average for most of the southern half of WA and areas in the Pilbara had moderate showers.
Climate outlook:
Most of Australia is likely to receive more than the median average of rainfall for August to October, with a 60 per cent chance of exceeding the median.
Western parts of WA have about equal chances of above or below median rainfall (chance of exceeding the median is close to 50pc).
The pattern for the months of August and September are similar to the August to October outlook, although the likelihood of exceeding the median is not as high.
In August, parts of the WA west coast are likely to be below the median.
Temperature wise, maximum temperatures are expected (more than 60pc chance) to be warmer than average in western and southern areas of WA.
Below median daytime temperatures look to be more neutral in August for western areas of the State, and then warming up into September.
Minimum temperatures for August to October are very likely to be warmer than the median for most of Australia (chances are greater than 80pc), however southern and central WA have slightly lower chances (60 to 80pc chance).
Likewise, minimum temperatures for August and September are likely to be above the median.