HOPES of above average winter rainfall are dwindling as fast as Orange’s water supplies, with the Bureau of Meteorology hedging their bets both ways on the likelihood of drought-breaking rainfall.
The prediction comes as bad news for farmers, gardeners, homeowners and Orange City Council all desperately waiting for the heavens to open.
The chances of exceeding average rainfall for northern New South Wales and southern Queensland over May to July are between 60 to 75 per cent.
Orange and surrounds however are not faring quite as well.
A spokesperson for the bureau said yesterday Orange had only a 55 per cent chance of exceeding the average rainfall.
“That is quite lower compared to other parts of the state and is a trend we have seen develop for quite some time,” the spokesperson said.
The bureau also delivered ominous news in predicting a 45 per cent chance of receiving less rainfall than the average of just over 66mm for the three month period ending July.
“So that basically leaves you with the chances of having wetter weather about the same as the chances of it being drier,” the spokesperson said.
The responsibility of measuring Orange’s rainfall lies with Rod Hicks and Dean Kilby of the Department of Primary Industries who said they can’t remember a time when they were measuring less rain.
“The problem is the rainfall seems to be so patchy so we could be measuring overnight rainfall here at the DPI that hasn’t fallen in other sections of the town,” Mr Hicks said.
“Heading into level five restrictions obviously says that things are fairly serious I think so hopefully when we take the reading each day and pass it on to the bureau we have some better news over the next few months.” Orange’s water storage levels were at 30.4 per cent yesterday and falling.