Summer rainfall has seen drought lessen its grip in the Mid Coast and Mid North Coast. regions.
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Most of the Mid Coast is classified as drought affected (weakening), with southern areas being drought affected (intensifying).
This is an improvement on November 2023, when most of the Mid Coast was officially in drought, and the majority of the Mid North Coast and North Coast in intense drought.
The Hastings/Macleay region is finally out of the red (intense drought) with a small area from Kempsey to the coast classified as in drought.
North of Kempsey and south to Port Macquarie is drought affected (intensifying), with much of the area drought affected but weakening.
"Although there are signs of recovery for some regions, further rainfall is critical in aiding a longer-term drought recovery," the NSW Department of Primary Industries February State Seasonal Update says.
Rainfall
The North Coast benefited from the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Kirrily which brought heavy rainfall.
The Mid Coast and Mid North Coast both received between 200 and 300mm of rain during February, with an area from Taree to just below Port Macquarie receiving 300-400mm, which is well above Taree's average rainfall for February of 156.8mm
Temperatures
Most of NSW experienced above average temperatures in February, generally up to two percent above average.
Manning River levels
Average monthly river levels for the Manning at Killawarra were highest with an average of 1.302 metres on April 1,2023. By November 2023 the level had decreased to an average of 0.593m.
As at March 1, 2024 the river had risen again to an average of 1.249m.
The average monthly flow rate in the past 12 months was highest in April 2023 at a discharge rate of 2602.548 ML/d. It hit a low of 215.926 in November 2023 and has climbed to 2116.581 measured at March 1, 2023.
Climate outlook March to May
The climate outlook indicates a 20 to 55 per cent chance of above average rainfall from March to May across much of NSW, with a high chance of very warm conditions. However, the Bureau of Meteorology says for below median rainfall is likely (60 to 80 per cent chance) across much of northern and eastern Australia.
El Nino is weakening but the Southern Oscillation Index is negative, and the Indian Ocean Dipole is neutral