No relief for farmers as BoM predicts spring heatwave

The country has just faced its 12th driest winter on record and the bureau says there is no change in sight

Australia's weather forecasters have offered the country's drought-hit farmers scarce relief after predicting that warmer and drier conditions are set to continue through spring.

After a drier than average year so far, the Bureau of Meteorology released its spring outlook on Thursday and warned that southern and south-eastern parts of the country are facing the prospect of an early summer heatwave.