For the week to 12 January 2016, rainfall was recorded in the southwest, Goldfields, Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley districts in Western Australia, the Top End and northeastern parts of the Northern Territory, the Cape York Peninsula and much of central and eastern Queensland. Rainfall was also recorded in northeastern and eastern New South Wales, northeastern Victoria and northeastern Tasmania.

At the beginning of the week, a tropical low pressure system and associated surface trough deepened along the east coast of Australia, and produced extensive shower and thunderstorm activity. Moderate falls were recorded in southeast Queensland, eastern New South Wales, and parts of northeastern Victoria. Heavier falls were recorded in the Hunter, Sydney and Illawarra districts in New South Wales. Showers and thunderstorms formed along a surface trough located across northern Australia, with moderate falls recorded in the Kimberley and western Top End, and the tip of the Cape York Peninsula.

In the middle of the week, a surface trough near the west coast of Western Australia moved slowly eastwards, producing isolated thunderstorms with light to moderate falls in the Pilbara, Gascoyne and South West Land Division.

In the last part of the week, a weak ridge extended along the east coast with a surface trough over western Queensland, producing showers and thunderstorms with light to moderate falls recorded over the central and north tropical coasts of Queensland and adjacent inland districts, parts of the Gulf Country and the Cape York Peninsula. Generally light falls were recorded over central Western Australia, northern and southeastern South Australia, parts of western Victoria, and northern Tasmania as a series of troughs shifted eastwards at the end of the week.

Showers and thunderstorms with moderate falls were reported in northern Australia, including the Kimberly, western Top End and the Cape York Peninsula during the week.

Rainfall totals between 100 mm and 200 mm were recorded in parts of the Hunter and Sydney Metropolitan districts in New South Wales, and in isolated pockets of the Central Coast and Wide Bay districts in Queensland. Rainfall totals exceeding 200 mm were recorded in the Hunter and Manning districts in New South Wales, including the highest weekly total of 296 mm at Bungwahl in New South Wales.

Rainfall totals between 50 mm and 100 mm were recorded between the Hunter and South Coast districts, and pockets of northeastern New South Wales extending into southeastern Queensland, pockets of the north tropical coast and the Cape York Peninsula, and the Kimberley in Western Australia.

Rainfall totals between 10 mm and 50 mm were recorded in western parts of the South West Land Division, Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley districts in Western Australia, the western Top End and northeastern parts of the Northern Territory, areas of the Cape York Peninsula, central coast and adjacent inland districts, and southeastern Queensland. Similar totals were recorded in the northeast and most of the east coast of New South Wales, isolated pockets of the interior of the continent, northeastern Victoria, and in the northeast of Tasmania.

Little or no rainfall was recorded this week in the far west, southeast and interior of Western Australia, most of South Australia, western Victoria, western Queensland, and the interior of the Northern Territory.

Highest weekly totals in each state/territory:

New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory

296 mm Bungwahl

266 mm Upper Chichester

261 mm Dungog

Victoria

53 mm Haines Junction

43 mm Mount Wellington

37 mm Reeves Knob

Queensland

164 mm Mount Jukes

93 mm Daintree Village

82 mm Bramwell

Western Australia

75 mm Napier Downs

70 mm Kimberley Downs

60 mm Windjana Gorge

South Australia

12 mm Ernabella

9 mm Penong

7 mm American River

Tasmania

27 mm Chain Of Lagoons

25 mm Friendly Beaches

22 mm Gray

Northern Territory

87 mm CSIRO Berrimah

84 mm Howard Springs Nature Park

67 mm Bradshaw Range Control

More weekly rainfall totals:

• NSW/ACT totals click here
• Vic totals click here
• Qld totals click here
• WA totals click here
• SA totals click here
• Tas totals click here
• NT totals click here

Source: BOM