Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Soaking rain hits the nation's food bowl.

The Murray Basin is soaking up widespread rain thanks to a cut-off low that has been spiralling from west to east, drawing in moisture from the tropics and moving slow enough to deliver some very healthy totals. This same low delivered heavy falls to southwest WA last Friday and Saturday. Over the last 24 hours heavy rain and storms have drenched SA's coast and country. To 9am this morning: Clare picked up 36mm- it's heaviest rain in 17 months, Snowtown received 38mm- it's heaviest rain in 4 years and Adelaide Airport got 31mm!

The rain-bearing low is moving east so rain is clearing from SA this afternoon but increasing in parts of QLD, NSW and Victoria today, and on the NSW coast south of the Hunter region tomorrow. Thanks to this system, parts of the Riverina district in NSW have received their first rain in months including Deniliquin with 30mm. Victorian towns have also received their best rain in months with 29mm in Mildura.

As the low moves across NSW today, severe storms with flash flooding are possible over the central and southern inland. Severe storms are also possible this afternoon from QLD's northwest to southeast with the chance of damaging winds and large hail.

As winds become strong onshore on the NSW coast south of the Hunter region tomorrow, it will bucket down from the south coast up to the Hunter including Sydney. Falls of 50mm+ are possible for coastal suburbs and showers may continue during the evening so don't forget the poncho if you're heading to the State of Origin.

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