RAINFALL records tumbled across the State last month, with Wagin recording its driest August on record and Lake Grace only 0.4mm more than the driest August since records began.

It was a case of moving from the sublime to the ridiculous – from one of the wettest July months on record in Wagin to breaking the alltime record for low rainfall in August.

A total of 6.3mm of rain fell in the Wagin district in August in dribs and drabs over nine days.

The previous lowest rainfall at Wagin was 9.5mm in August 1956.

The average rainfall for Wagin in August is 57.9mm and the highest recorded was 163mm.

In Lake Grace the low rainfall record for August was set in 1995, a total of 5.2mm.

Rainfall this August was 5.6mm over four days. “It was fairly light on, said Lake Grace postal manager Terry Gladish.

“We had a bit of a shower last Thursday and Friday and, the record was gone.”

Heavy fog has provided some moisture and there have been a number of frosts in the Lakes District.

The average August rainfall in Lake Grace is 41.2mm with 104.3mm the highest August fall.

The annual rainfall to date in Wagin is 276mm and in Lake Grace 233mm.

It has been the driest August for 15 years in Perth with just 28mm of rain falling, a far cry from the longterm average of 135mm.

It was a dry month across Western Australia with 100-year records broken in Wagin, Katanning and Narrogin.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the weather in August was dominated by a large and constant area of high pressure to the south of the State.

Dry north-easterly winds prevented cold fronts from forming.

A pattern of cold nights was repeated across the southern half of the State.

Low humidity levels favoured high daytime temperatures and cold nights.

Farmers who were deluged with heavy rain in July are now thankful for the increased sub-soil moisture which has kept crops growing with the help of some warmer weather.

They are hoping the forecast of some rainfall in the next 10 days eventuates.