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Heavy rain and gales hammer Tasmania

Tom Saunders, Thursday August 14, 2008 - 17:25 EST

Heavy rain continues to fall over western and southern Tasmania as strong southwesterly winds tear through the state.

The highest 24 hour fall to 9am Thursday was 69mm at Warra, their heaviest rain in a year. Nearby Tarraleah picked up 42mm, also a one year high. Unfortunately totals dropped off dramatically over the Central Plateau with the drought stricken east coast missing out completely.

Winds on Thursday peaked at 119 km/h at Mt Read but thankfully gusts remained below damaging levels over populated regions.

While wind and rain will gradually ease across Tasmania during the next few days, temperatures will take a dive. Snowfalls were restricted to the peaks on Thursday but should lower to 800 metres on Friday and possibly down to around 600 metres on the weekend. Hobart is forecast to reach only nine on Saturday and Sunday with snow set to blanket the slopes of Mt Wellington.

- Weatherzone

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