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Wet day, wet year for Sydney

Ben Domensino, Wednesday August 24, 2016 - 11:45 AEST

Sydney is having the wettest year-to-date in 18 years and will receive another soaking in the next 24 hours.

Six out of the last eight months have seen more rain than usual, bringing the running total for 2016 up to 1138mm as of 9am today. This is more than 200mm above the norm to this point in the year and only 77mm short of the annual average, with another four months of rain yet to fall.

A wetter-than-normal August is capping off a sodden winter for the harbour city, which began with a remarkable rainfall event in early June. Almost two months worth of rain fell in three days, caused partly by a strong east coast low. This historic event also produced deadly floods and widespread damage, including significant beach erosion. Sydney is currently having the wettest winter in nine years.

Another low near the state's east coast will bring a familiar bout of wet and windy weather in the next 24 hours.

The low will develop off the central coast of New South Wales this afternoon somewhere to the north of Sydney. The heaviest rain is expected to occur just south of the low, meaning things will only get wetter in Sydney later today.

There is likely to be another 50mm from now until 9am tomorrow, probably a bit less in western suburbs and heavier falls in the east. Some coastal locations will see more than 100mm with a risk of flash flooding. The heaviest rain looks like it will occur tonight along with a burst of blustery winds.

Looking ahead the low will move out into the Tasman Sea on Thursday allowing rain and wind to ease. Lighter and less frequent showers are possible through the rest of the working week before drier conditions return on the weekend.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2016

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A very wet weekend for southeast Qld, northeast NSW

11:48 AEST A prolonged rainfall event is set to bring large totals to parts of NSW and Qld from Saturday, with possible heavy falls and flooding. A low-pressure system in the Coral Sea, a deepening coastal trough and persistent easterlies will bring moisture-laden air into southeast Qld and northeast NSW will bring days of rainfall to the region. While there is not a drop of rain on the radar over southeast Qld and Northeast NSW on Friday morning, the mass of cloud associated with a low in the Coral Sea will enhance rainfall over the weekend.