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Eastern Australia flood update

Ben Domensino, Thursday September 22, 2016 - 13:10 AEST

Another burst of heavy rain over inland New South Wales has exacerbated the state's flooding situation, while bulging rivers continue to flow through Victoria and Queensland.

Dry weather has returned to most areas in the three flooded states today, although a low over the Tasman Sea is causing showers to persist in eastern Victoria and southeast New South Wales.

Before reaching the Tasman Sea, this low helped produce widespread falls of 20-30mm over the central and southern slopes and ranges of New South Wales in the last 24 hours, with close to 50mm falling in Yass.

Orange Airport saw 36mm during the 24 hours to 9am today, bringing their monthly total to 223mm. This is almost three times the monthly average and makes this their wettest September on record and already the wettest spring in five years.

Temora received 33mm yesterday and has now picked up 171mm this month, which is about four month's worth of rain for this time of year. The town is now having their wettest September on record with data going back 136 years and the wettest spring since 2011.

Yesterday's downpour caused Muttama creek at Berthing Road to rise rapidly by 1.3 metres within six hours. This peak caused floodwaters to inundate people's homes in Cootamundra and Temora, forcing the State Emergency Services to evacuate some residents.

While this river peak has now moved downstream, the extent of remaining floodwaters across eastern Australia is staggering.

Major flood warnings are in place today for the lower Warrego and Macintyre Rivers in Queensland and the Lachlan River in New South Wales. Moderate flood warnings are also in effect in both states and parts of northern and western Victoria.

- Weatherzone

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