| Table 4: Rural industry management decisions affected by climate (adapted from O'Sullivan & Paull 1994) | ||||
|
Industry |
Key decisions |
Climatic information required |
Forecast |
Reason climate is important |
| Haymaking | When to cut a crop/pasture for hay | Probabilities of rainfall within 3-7 days 30-60 days wave |
D-M |
Rain ruins or reduces hay quality |
|
Wool growing |
Time of year to shear When to muster for shearing Time of year for lambing |
Climate history, rainfall and temperatures Rainfall, temperatures and forecasts Sheep weather alerts |
D, M & L |
Shearers will not shear wet sheep Rapid temperature changes can cause sheep losses |
|
Cropping |
What crop(s) to plant When to plant a crop |
Probabilities of rainfall for soil moisture
storage, planting opportunities and growing season Risk of frost Seasonal Climate outlook (SCO) Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) Soil temperatures |
M, L & SCO |
To maximise growth and yield Frost can seriously reduce the yield of grain crops |
|
|
When to harvest Whether to harvest early and dry the high moisture grain |
Forecasts for rain, temperatures and wind |
D & M |
Rainfall at crop maturity reduces grain
quality, increases grain moisture, produces weed growth and delays or prevents
harvest |
| Cropping and horticulture | Spraying crops for weeds, pests and diseases
|
Forecasts of wind direction and speed,
relative humidity, temperature and rainfall |
D |
Wind evaporation and rainfall affect the
efficiency of application and spray effectiveness of the chemical |
|
|
Whether to insure for hail damage or erect hail netting |
History and probabilities of hail |
L |
Hail destroys crops or reduces crop value |
|
Hail forecasts |
D |
|||
|
Sugar cane |
Determining harvesting and crushing schedules |
Daily rainfall |
D |
Rainfall reduces the commercial cane sugar
content (CCS), and hinders transport of cane from paddocks |
| Sugar cane and grazing | When to burn sugar before harvest When to burn pasture for weed control |
Forecasts of temperature, relative humidity,
rain 30-60 days |
D |
Weather affects the effectiveness and safety
of using fire as a tool |
|
Irrigation |
Planning irrigation schedules - amount of water and time of application |
Near real time data on temperatures, relative humidity and pan evaporation |
D-M |
Need to make most efficient use of available
water Evaporation affects crop water requirements Rain after irrigation causes erosion and crop damage |
| Irrigation and grazing | Location and size of surface water storage |
Historical records of rainfall and evaporation |
L |
Climatic expectations determine the size
and location of surface water storage’s to satisfy water needs |
| Grazing | Deciding optimum stocking rates Deciding on the number of stock for the dry season |
Climatic records/history Seasonal Climate Outlook (SCO) Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) |
D, M & L |
Climate determines the type and amount of grass and herbage growth |
| Grazing, cropping and horticulture | When and where to market products | State, national and world-wide weather |
D, M & L |
Potential profit change with production/quality estimates |
| Other |
|
|
|
|
| D - daily forecasts M - medium range forecasts L - long range forecasts |
||||