New South Wales · SA4 sub-regional conditions
Actual
9.2mm
Historical
87.2mm
vs Average
11%
Bar shows rainfall relative to average (centre line = 100% of average)
4.3%
volumetric (0-1cm) · Very Dry
State average: 8.6% (Very Dry)
1421
hotspots (5d)
State-level · NASA FIRMS
State-level · BOM Water Data
Outer West and Blue Mountains is experiencing severe drought conditions with only 11% of average rainfall (9.2mm vs 87.2mm) and critically low soil moisture at 4.3%, well below the already dry NSW state average of 8.6%. These harsh conditions pose significant stress to the region's vegetable crops and nursery operations, which require consistent moisture for optimal growth and production quality. The SA4's composite score of 22 reflects substantially worse conditions than the NSW state average of 33, with elevated fire risk from surrounding hotspots and drought stress likely impacting poultry operations through increased feed and water costs.
SA4-specific AI summary · 14/04/2026
Outer West and Blue Mountains (New South Wales) has a composite agricultural conditions score of 22/100, 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 11% of the historical average (9.2mm actual vs 87.2mm average).
The key commodities in the Outer West and Blue Mountains region are vegetables, poultry, nursery. 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 4.3% (very dry).
