Wheatbelt tipped to stay parched

Grain farmers have been warned to brace themselves for a dry start to the season after weather stations across the South-West had the lowest summer rainfall on record.

WA's seeding season, expected to kick off next month, could be much drier than previous years with only a 35 per cent chance of rain in the next three months.

Farmers have had to cart water as dams dry up while South-West horticulturalists depend on irrigation.

Thirteen weather stations, including Nannup, Manjimup and Meekatharra, had their lowest summer rainfall while Bridgetown had its lowest summer rainfall in 123 years.

From December 2009 to February 2010 in the Mid-West and South-West, no weather station recorded more than 50mm and below average thunderstorm activity failed to deliver sub-soil moisture.

Merredin farmer John Nicoletti, who is carting water for his 7000 cattle, said he might soon have to cart water to his Esperance dams, which had only three weeks' supply left.

"We've been running very low on water and carting about 130,000 litres to various tanks around the property," he said. "Our dams in Esperance are running dry so we're really looking to the skies for a downpour."

Lake Grace farmer Doug Clarke said the lack of rainfall for summer was good because it meant a lower chemical bill to control weeds.

"If we get some good opening rains we're away," he said.

Weather Bureau manager of climate services Glenn Cook said most South-West sites recorded 25mm to 50mm less summer rain than normal.

"This summer has been unusual because our summers tend to be getting wetter across most of WA so the drier summer this year has been against the trend of the last 30 to 40 years," he said.

The dry spell was caused by an El Nino climate pattern last winter bringing warmer than normal ocean temperatures along the equator.

But Mr Cook said the pattern was expected to weaken in autumn and revert to a normal winter pattern.

David Bowran, from the Department of Agriculture, said the dry spell could affect soil moisture levels as farmers prepared to seed.

"But that doesn't mean they're setting up for a bad crop because our current outlook shows normal conditions from May onwards," he said.