New South Wales · SA4 sub-regional conditions
Actual
41.9mm
Historical
170.9mm
vs Average
25%
Bar shows rainfall relative to average (centre line = 100% of average)
5.2%
volumetric (0-1cm) · Very Dry
State average: 8.6% (Very Dry)
1421
hotspots (5d)
State-level · NASA FIRMS
State-level · BOM Water Data
Illawarra is experiencing severe drought conditions with rainfall at just 25% of average (41.9mm vs 170.9mm) and critically dry soil moisture at 5.2%, well below the already concerning NSW state average of 8.6%. These conditions pose significant stress to the region's dairy operations and beef cattle, with pasture quality likely compromised and supplementary feeding costs rising substantially. The sub-region's composite score of 25 reflects heightened agricultural risk compared to the NSW state average of 33, with drought being the primary concern for local producers.
SA4-specific AI summary · 14/04/2026
Illawarra (New South Wales) has a composite agricultural conditions score of 25/100, rated as challenging. This score is updated daily using localised rainfall and soil moisture data from SILO DataDrill and BOM.
Recent 30-day rainfall is 25% of the historical average (41.9mm actual vs 170.9mm average).
The key commodities in the Illawarra region are dairy, beef, vegetables. Each commodity has its own detailed analysis page with live pricing and forward outlook.
The SA4 composite score is the average of the rainfall score (30-day actual vs historical average) and the soil moisture score (volumetric water content banded from Very Dry to Wet). Soil moisture is currently 5.2% (very dry).
