RAIN was widespread throughout the farming regions of western and eastern Australia in the past week.

Towards the beginning of the week, thunderstorms and showers associated with a low pressure trough brought moderate falls to central and southern Queensland, New South Wales, and northern Victoria.

A cold front that moved across western and southern Western Australia and South Australia mid-week produced light to moderate rainfall, while a cold front moved across Victoria and Tasmania towards the end of the week, producing thunderstorms with light to moderate falls.

Past seven days: For the week to 5 October 2021, rainfall was recorded in a broad area in eastern Australia, which covers the inland north-west, central and southern Queensland, most of New South Wales apart from the far north-west, Victoria, south-eastern parts of South Australia, and most of Tasmania. Rainfall was also recorded in most of the South West Land Division, inland southern Gascoyne and adjacent Goldfields in Western Australia, and north-western Top End in the Northern Territory.

At the start of the week, a low pressure trough extended from the north-west of Australia through western Queensland and New South Wales to south-eastern South Australia, with associated low pressure systems located over north-western New South Wales and eastern Great Australian Bight. Thunderstorms and showers with moderate falls were reported, ahead of the trough, in the central and southern Queensland, New South Wales, and northern Victoria.

As the trough moved slowly east, thunderstorms and showers continued and extended to the eastern seaboard by the mid-week. Moderate rainfall was recorded in the north-west, central and south-eastern Queensland, much of New South Wales, Victoria, and eastern Tasmania. Localised very heavy daily falls of 100 mm to 120 mm were recorded over two days along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Daily falls of 40 mm to 80 mm were recorded in the Adelaide Hills from isolated thunderstorms.

At mid-week, a cold front moved across the western and southern Western Australia and South Australia, producing light to moderate rainfall in the South West Land Division, the Gascoyne and Goldfields districts. Light rainfall was recorded along coastal South Australia and the far south-east of Australia. Showers were recorded in north-western Top End in the Northern Territory.

At the end of the week, a cold front moved across Victoria and Tasmania, and produced thunderstorms with light to moderate rainfall recorded across Victoria. Light rainfall was also recorded in northern and western Tasmania.

Weekly rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm were recorded in small areas in the southern and eastern Victoria, and isolated spots in the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia and in the north-east of Tasmania. The highest weekly rainfall total was 267.6 mm at Lorne in the far south-west Central coast in Victoria.

Weekly rainfall totals in excess of 50 mm were recorded in large areas in eastern half of New South Wales, the west of the Great Dividing Ranges; in eastern, north-western and the south coast in Victoria; north-eastern Tasmania; and in the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. Similar totals were also recorded in south-east Queensland, and the south-west of Western Australia.

Weekly rainfall totals between 10 mm and 50 mm were recorded in most of the South West Division, the inland southern Gascoyne and Goldfields in Western Australia, in south-eastern South Australia from the Eyre Peninsula to the Riverland districts, Victoria, and most of New South Wales away from the north-west. Similar totals were recorded across much of Queensland away from the south-west, and in the north-west Top End in the Northern Territory.

 

Highest weekly totals list and map

New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory

99 mm Cabramurra Smhea Aws

96 mm Hillston ( Aldinga)

91 mm Khancoban Aws

Victoria

268 mm Lorne (Mount Cowley)

246 mm Haines Junction (Mount Sabine)

131 mm Balook

Queensland

78 mm Applethorpe

74 mm Beardy Junction

68 mm Blackwater Airport

Western Australia

71 mm Swanbourne

63 mm Cowaramup

60 mm Walpole Forestry

South Australia

115 mm Crafers West

93 mm Mount Lofty

91 mm Kapunda West (Kaplee)

Tasmania

147 mm Gray (Dalmayne Rd)

101 mm Mount Victoria (Una Plain)

96 mm Mount Barrow (South Barrow)

Northern Territory

50 mm Wagait Beach

43 mm East Arm

40 mm Pirlangimpi Airport