Grenfell Weather Station recorded near average rainfall for August with a total of 52.7mm measured. The average rainfall for August since 1886 is 54.6mm. Weddin Shire was one of the more favoured areas of the State for rain, as many districts are still very dry. However, local farmers would now like to see a useful fall of rain to stimulate growth of pastures and crops. Greenethorpe property ‘Gambarra’ measured a total of 61mm for the month. David Brown said his crops are looking great with some wheat coming into head, but a good shower of rain is now needed. He went on to say that late frosts will be a concern when the wheat crops are flowering.
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Late August saw the end of a very cold, frosty winter. Many old time residents said they had never experienced so many severe frosts which had caused considerable damage to crops and gardens. The severe frost on the morning of Sunday, August 27 was most likely the “daddy of them all” when it plummeted to –3.6 degrees, causing taps and water pipes to freeze, taking a while for the warmer sun to melt the ice. The last week of August also saw very cold frosty mornings experienced on Monday, August 20 -3.5 degrees, Tuesday, August 29 –3.1 degrees, Wednesday, August 30 –2.8 degrees and Thursday, August 31 –1.2 degrees. August 2017 average minimum was 1.7 degrees and since 1965 the average minimum is 4.2 degrees. Grenfell’s highest minimum since 1965 was 14.6 on August 7, 1973 and the lowest minimum since 1965 was August 27 this year –3.6 degrees and before it was recorded on August 3, 2014 –3.4 degrees. Grenfell’s warmest day after 9 am was on August 15, 2017 when it rose to a pleasant 20.9 degrees. Other warm days were August 23 18.5 degrees; August 10 18.9 degrees and August 14 19 degrees.
August 2017 average maximum was 14.4 degrees and since 1965 the average is 15 degrees. Grenfell’s highest warmest August day since 1965 was 30th 1977 when it rose to a very warm 26.5 degrees and our lowest maximum was August 2, 1967 when it rose to just 4.4 degrees.
The rainfall of 52.7 mm for August has brought the total for the year to 337.4 mm or 13 and half inches. For the same period last year, Grenfell had recorded 492.9 mm. Grenfell’s wettest August was in 1985 when 140 mm was recorded and the driest Augusts were in 1914 3 points and 1940 when 10 points (2.5 mm) was measured. The first couple of mornings of September have been quite chilly with minimum readings of 1 degrees on September 1; –2 degrees on September 2 a much warmer 5 degrees on Sunday morning, September 3.
