General News
27 October, 2026
Rainfall drives interest in Rainbow radar
Accurate weather information plays an important role in decision-making across the Wimmera, with the Rainbow radar providing farmers, residents and visitors real-time information about approaching rain.
The radar, which began operating on March 31, 2020, filled a significant gap in Australia's weather monitoring network, giving farmers better information to guide harvesting, spraying and fertiliser application.
Google Trends data reveals Australian search interest in 'Rainbow BOM radar' has fluctuated during the past five years, with several increases coinciding with times of above-average rainfall in the region.
Search interest in related equipment also varied, with 'rain gauge' reaching its peak during the five-year period around December 2023.
Searches for 'farm weather station' have remained low, with small blips in the summer of 2023, and again in January and June this year.
Searches for an 'anemometer' have remained steady over the five-year period, with the weather-reading instrument a popular tool for measuring wind speed, air velocity, and airflow pressure.
A breakout term relating to 'anemometer' was 'anemometer inventor'; the anemometer was invented by Leon Battista Alberti in 1450, using a swinging disk perpendicular to the wind to measure wind force.
This content is part of a paid partnership with Google to promote Google Trends.
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