Today's lead news item in Melbourne: it's raining

[Kingswood]

Today's lead news item in Melbourne this morning: it rained during the night.

This doesn't sound like much, but it is helpful to have some perspective.

Climate change and the scarcity of water has been a big issue in Australia in the last year or two. Recent news items in Melbourne have discussed the low amount of water in the reservoirs, the prospect of stage 4 water restrictions, the "thousand year" drought (the worst drought in a millennium), the record lowest rainfall in a 12-month period, the unprecedented prospect of irrigators on the Murray river having no water by August, and various other news items related to the recent scarcity of water and the current (or possibly just-broken) severe drought.

So it is good news that some substantial rain has fallen with more forecast for the next week after a couple of days of soaking rains in March and April. This weekend is going to be a wet weekend and we don't mind a bit.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...5/s1926350.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...5/s1926294.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...5/s1926152.htm
http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...995363370.html

[Aliantha]

Level 4? I dunno what you're complaining about. We're on level 5 up here with the prospect of level 6 by August.

[bluecuracao]

I hope the rain continues there!

My home state of New Mexico has been experiencing drought for the past several years. Thank goodness they've had wetter weather for several months now, but it still hasn't made much of an improvement in the reservoir levels.

[Kingswood]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Level 4? I dunno what you're complaining about. We're on level 5 up here with the prospect of level 6 by August.

We will be on level 4 by August.

I'm not complaining, just adding a bit of local perspective. Your point is pertinent too. There may be a new reservoir for Brisbane, with a reservoir in northern New South Wales one possiblity. (Brisbane is in the southeast corner of Queensland and it was once considered radical to suggest building a reservoir in one state to service the needs of another.)

There is hardly a town in the country that isn't on some sort of water restrictions right now.

[Kingswood]

Originally Posted by bluecuracao

I hope the rain continues there!

My home state of New Mexico has been experiencing drought for the past several years. Thank goodness they've had wetter weather for several months now, but it still hasn't made much of an improvement in the reservoir levels.

The same thing is happening here. We had a decent dump of rain in the middle of March and the end of April and again in the last 24 hours. As yet the reservoirs aren't getting the runoff because the water is just soaking into the parched ground. A few more dumps like this and the ground will be full of moisture and the stream runoffs will start increasing.

Next week, more rain is forecast and the first snowfalls of the year are also expected. (the last snows in many places were on Christmas day, last summer)

[Aliantha]

I don't think the nsw plan is going to go ahead in the short term. Right now they're going mad on the pipeline for recycled water which is a good thing. They're also still looking at daming the Mary River which is a stupid idea imo.

It is more likely there'll be additional desalination plants built if the drought continues.

The situation is dire.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Kingswood

(the last snows in many places were on Christmas day, last summer)

Do you realize how strange that sounds to us?

[BeltNah]

It does sound strange, I have only ever seen snow once, well if a patch of melting snow on the side of the road counts anyway.. Plus I have never had a christmas that isn't atleast 30 degrees celcius or the threat of a bushfire burning my house.

[Kingswood]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Do you realize how strange that sounds to us?

The cold snap in the middle of summer was rather strange to us as well, I assure you.

Christmas is more usually associated with hot weather, with cold meats and the like as common fare (such as chicken and champagne). It was a rather novel experience for many of us to have some of the traditional hot Christmas fare actually be suitable due to the weather.

[Trilby]

I'm doing my Ancient Chinese Rain Dance for all you Aussies right now!

(Hint to UT: this post would be 25% more effective if I could have posted an Ancient Chinese Rain Dance smilie)

[Kitsune]

We're so dry in Florida that hundreds of wildfires are burning all across the state. This is a natural cycle for Florida, but I can't help but think it isn't a good idea to pass a resolution asking people to pray the hurricanes away that would bring us rain. Andrea already arced back out to sea after teasing us with much needed rain, leaving not a drop to touch land.

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

That in recognition of the first day of Hurricane season, June 1, 2007, the Senate calls upon the residents of this state to pray that God would have mercy on our state and protect us from harm.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Do you realize how strange that sounds to us?

News Flash, xoB!

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by Brianna

I'm doing my Ancient Chinese Rain Dance for all you Aussies right now!

That I'd like to see. Can you post the steps?

[pourbill]

Sorry to hear of your drought situation down under. May all of our wet dreams come true.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by BigV

News Flash, xoB!

the last snows in many places were on Christmas day, last summer

Duh