COLD fronts and troughs brought moderate falls of rain to the southern half of the continent, and Cape York Peninsula, during the week.

Late in the week a surface trough over southern Queensland and eastern New South Wales generated showers and moderate falls in the far southern Darling Downs in Queensland, and north-east NSW.

Past seven days: For the week to 3 August 2021, rainfall was recorded in the south-west quarter of Western Australia, southern South Australia, Victoria, southern and north-east inland New South Wales, Tasmania, and the southern Darling Downs and far north of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland.

At the start of the week, light falls were reported across the west coast of Western Australia following the passage of a cold front. As the cold front and pre-frontal trough tracked eastwards, the systems brought light falls to parts of southern South Australia, before tracking across Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. Moderate falls were recorded in northern and western Tasmania, north-east Victoria, and south-east and north-east inland New South Wales, while light falls were recorded over most of Victoria and parts of eastern New South Wales.

A pair of cold fronts and troughs tracked across south-west Western Australia soon after, with moderate falls around the Perth area and far south-west of the state, and light falls across large parts of the South West Land Division (SWLD) for two days. Moderate falls were recorded in western Tasmania due to a strong westerly flow.

During the middle of the week, the second cold front of the pair and a pre-frontal trough tracked slowly over South Australia and south-east Australia, with moderate falls reported in southern South Australia, southern and eastern Victoria, and the western half of Tasmania.

In the west, a vigorous cold front moved over the south-west of Western Australia, with moderate falls recorded around Perth and a large part of the SWLD. Further light falls were recorded across the SWLD and southern parts of Western Australia, with moderate falls confined to the south coast.

Moist onshore flow brought heavy showers to the far north of Cape York Peninsula, particularly offshore islands. Coconut Island reported heavy falls on 1 August.

At the end of the week, the cold front tracked over southern South Australia, and the south-east of Australia, and an associated low pressure system moved to the west of Tasmania producing moderate falls in the far south-east of South Australia and south-west Victoria, and in the Central Tablelands in New South Wales. Light falls were reported in Victoria and western Tasmania.  A surface trough extended over southern Queensland and eastern New South Wales, generating showers and moderate falls in the far southern Darling Downs in Queensland, and north-east New South Wales.

Rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm were recorded in areas on the South Coast District in Western Australia, western Tasmania and an isolated total in far northern Queensland, at Coconut Island. The highest weekly total was 139 mm at Lake Margaret Dam in western Tasmania.

Rainfall totals in excess of 50 mm were reported in south-west Western Australia, western and northern Tasmania, north-east Victoria and in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales.

Rainfall totals between 10 mm and 50 mm were recorded across the South West Land Division, southern Gascoyne and parts of the Goldfields districts in Western Australia; southern South Australia, and most of Victoria. Similar totals were recorded in western and northern Tasmania; southern, south-east inland and north-eastern New South Wales, and an area in the southern Darling Downs and far north of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland.

Highest weekly totals list and map

New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory

88 mm Perisher Valley AWS

66 mm Meldrum (Coolawarrah)

64 mm Thredbo Village

Victoria

72 mm Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse

59 mm Grampians (Mount William)

54 mm Casterton, Falls Creek (Rocky Valley)

Queensland

132 mm Coconut Island

21 mm Beardy Junction

19 mm Horn Island

Western Australia

118 mm Shannon

102 mm Mount William

101 mm Pemberton

South Australia

56 mm Ashton, Lenswood (Stringybark)

53 mm Lobethal (Graeber), Lobethal (Maidment Road)

Tasmania

139 mm Lake Margaret Dam

125 mm Mount Read

113 mm Quamby Bluff

Northern Territory

0.8 mm Groote Eylandt Airport

0.6 mm Centre Island

0.5 mm Marrara