Mum sent me a few emails to say it's raining in Melbourne, she was so excited. Now, normally you wouldn't think rain would be cause for celebration but they're in the midst of a drought so... I remember a few years ago being up in Deniliquin (country town between Sydney & Melbourne) staying with friends on New Years Eve. Suddenly the skies opened and it bucketed down, a really heavy tropical rain. We were at the supermarket and everyone just ran outside, some people even just standing in it getting drenched with big smiles on their faces! It rained and rained but then unfortunately after a day it went back to hot weather again and the drought continued. If rain falls heavy & fast the soil is baked so hard it just runs off it... you need sustained periods of soft rain to make a big difference. Here's extracts from Mum's email from 23rd May:
"Tony (Dave's Dad) just rang - there is rain at Ballarat. I just checked the BoM site - indeed rain up that way and approaching here, though weakening. He too said the trees were doing well, olives too though not nearly as well as the gums. Fruit trees battling and some have given up. People have been ringing the radio on ABC up and saying "It is raining here" or "I just had to put the wipers on for the first time in a car we bought three months ago".. and so on. We certainly need rain - may it bucket down!"
...then half an hour later...
"It is raining at last! It has been sounding on the roof for about three minutes now. Not hard nor heavy, and from the look of the radar screen, not going to last for long, but it is absolutely fantastic while it lasts! Obviously we have not had rain for some time - and have been in a drought for about 4-5 years. And I can still hear it! Wonderful sound that it is.... "
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