Weather News

Rain returns to parched southeast

Ben Domensino, Friday May 4, 2018 - 10:53 AEST

A strong cold front and low pressure system have caused damaging winds and the best rain in more than a year in parts of southeastern Australia during the last 48 hours.

After a notably dry start to 2018, widespread rainfall totals of 10-40mm have been recorded in SA, Victoria, southern NSW and Tasmania during the last couple of days. For many areas, this has been the best rain in 5-10 months.

The highest total during the 24 hours to 9am on Friday was 66mm at Thredbo Village, which is the alpine site's heaviest rain since December and close to half of its monthly average for this time of year.

Other locations that had their best rain since late last year during the last 24 hours include Bendigo (19mm), Mildura (11mm), Griffith (8mm), Elizabeth (15mm), Portland (28mm) and Ararat (30mm).

A few locations received their heaviest rain in more than a year during this event.

Adelaide's 19mm at Kent Town during the 24 hours to 9am today was its highest daily total in 14 months. After just four days, May is already the city's wettest month during 2018, with 24mm in the gauge so far.

Mt Gambier (30mm) and Coonawarra (29mm) also received their heaviest rain since March 2017 during the last 24 hours.

In addition to the rain, the strong frontal system also produced damaging wind gusts as it traversed Australia's southeast.

Wind gusts in excess of 100km/h were recorded in SA, Victoria and NSW during the last two days. The highest as of 11am EST on Friday was 117km/h at Thredbo Top Station in the Snowy Mountains.

Calmer conditions will return to most areas by the weekend as the low and front move out to sea, although another, weaker front will cause further showers in western Tasmania on Saturday.

- Weatherzone

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