Farm Tender

What's your rain trigger?

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By Dwain Duxson

What's your rain trigger? - Firstly, I apologise for sending those extra "Dailys" last night. My bad. In today's world, weather forecasts are done by computer modelling, a combination of scenarios churned out every few hours for us to peruse over addictively. Some say by taking the human element out of it, they have become less accurate. I'm not sure about that, I'm just convinced that the weather is an inexact science, and it will stay that way. It's like predicting the future, just take a swipe, and you might be right.

 

Speaking of the human element. One reader wrote in asking what are the old-school triggers for people, indicating that rain is on the way. 

 

Could it be your gummy knee is starting to ache, the Ants are on the move, the Gums are flowering, the Springs have started running, the Black Cockatoos have turned up, or a ring around the moon? When I lived at the Farm, the transformer on the Power Pole started to whine, which was a trigger to us that rain on the way. You could pretty much back it in. And it's still like that today. 

 

Besides, Farmers are making big decisions on the back of these forecasts, so we need all the help we can get. Do you use any of these old-school observations mentioned above? Or do you have one of your own? Reply to dwaind@farmtender.com.au 

 

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