Wind, Dust and Fire

STRONG westerly winds from the passage of a cold front has brought dust from South Australia across western New South Wales which reached the Hunter this morning.

THE Bureau of Meteorology has said the may be the potential for dust from the Central West to also come through the Upper Hunter later today and windy conditions will persist during the next couple of days creating the potential for local dust to also be added to the mix.

Later this afternoon there will be “really low humidity air” which will increase the fire danger in the area and the Rural Fire Service have issued severe fire warning for the Greater Hunter and a total fire ban is in place.

There is little chance of rain for the next seven days, however rainfall in the last 24 hours until 9am this morning was as follows:

• Aberdeen: 1ml
• Ellerston: 31ml
• Glenbawn: 3.6ml
• Hunter Springs: 36ml
• Merriwa: 1ml
• Moonan: 10ml
• Murrurundi: 15ml
• Scone: 3.2ml
• Timor: 16ml