Mildura Didn't Get the El Niño Memo

Photo Credit - Ross Stone

After plenty of talk earlier this year about El Niño and the prospect of drier than average conditions, Mildura's rainfall figures are telling a very different story.

And for farmers across the region, particularly those relying on winter rainfall, that's not a bad story to be telling.

As of Friday, August 14, Mildura Airport has recorded approximately 318.5mm of rain for 2026.

Mildura's long term average for an entire year is 285.1mm.

That means we've already received around 33mm more than our normal annual rainfall, with more than four months of 2026 still remaining.

A big chunk came from the extraordinary 166.6mm recorded in March, but importantly the rain hasn't completely disappeared since. June delivered 43mm, July added 29.6mm, while August has already produced around 33.4mm, exceeding the month's long term average of 25.1mm.

For Mallee farmers, winter rain arriving while crops are growing is particularly valuable, helping maintain soil moisture and giving this year's season every opportunity to keep moving in the right direction.

Of course, around here nobody starts counting bags of grain before they're in the silo. A dry spring, frost or a hot finish can quickly change things.

But for now, after the gloomy talk earlier in the year, there would be plenty of farmers happy to keep seeing rain gauges with a bit of water in them.

Long term annual average: 285.1mm

Rainfall in 2026 so far: 318.5mm

El Niño might have arrived.

Mildura just doesn't appear to have received the memo.