Primary Industries and Resources of South Australia affiliated Rural Solutions SA field crops consultant Keith Bolto said Murraylands crops were generally not yet mature enough to suffer damage from the warm winds, but while no damage had been reported the month as a whole had been poor.

“There’s been very little stored moisture all year and that’s a result of the lack of rain, and crops are suffering,” he said.

“Our farmers will be hoping for some more rain, and at least some cooler weather to allow the crops to mature.”

Many locations throughout SA recorded their lowest rainfall on record in September, or came very close to it.

The Bureau of Meteorology recorded 3.6 millimetres of rain at Karoonda during September, which is 39 per cent of its normal recording of 35 millimetres.

Lameroo recorded just 9.2mm out of a normal 48.8, bringing its total September rainfall to a very low 22pc.

The readings are in stark comparison to August, when rainfall in SA’s agricultural districts was mostly average or even slightly above.

Karoonda, for instance, recorded 59.6mm in August, which is 156pc of its usual 38.1mm.

The change in weather has prompted PIRSA to downgrade South Australia’s 2008 estimated crop yield from 6.49 million tonnes at the start of September, to 5.45 million.