THROUGHOUT the week, a large slow-moving high-pressure system centred south of the mainland pushed onshore flow and persistent rainfall along parts of the east coast.

Weekly totals of 10mm to locally more than 100mm were recorded along coastal New South Wales and parts of Queensland.

From May 15, tropical moisture from a north-west cloud band brought rainfall across a diagonal band spanning Australia to the south-east, including weekly totals of at least 5-50mm over most of the region, and up to more than 100mm in the north of the Lake Eyre basin.

During the week, cold fronts brought light to moderate rain to some southern areas, with parts of the far south-west coast of Western Australia recording weekly totals of 10-25mm.

The highest weekly total at a Bureau of Meteorology gauge of 247mm was recorded at Topaz Alert, and the highest daily total of 81mm was recorded at Binna Burra Alert and Numinbah Alert, both in Queensland, in the 24 hours to 9am on 18 May.