In just two hours this afternoon Alice Springs airport exceeded its monthly average rainfall, in what turned out to be its heaviest downpour in nine years. In just three hours from 3:30pm to 6:30pm 61mm fell, one and-a-half times the monthly average. In the peak of the downpour more than 20mm fell in a 20 minute period, which caused flash floosing. After a very wet January when 140mm fell, Alice Springs has now exceeded 200mm, more than twice the entire 2009 total. This is also its wettest start to the year since 2001. Further storms are likely with every day this week a chance. By early next week another 50 to 100m is possible. The trough which caused this storms will linger in the area and allow moisture to build up, causing further storms.