Tasmania received much needed rain on Thursday and although northeastern regions missed out on big falls the island state can expect more widespread rain early next week. Totals on Thursday included 74mm at Cradle Valley, their wettest day in eight years. Other notable falls in western and central regions included 64mm at Lake St Clair and 52mm at Strathgordon. Rain was typically lighter in the east but Hobart still picked up a healthy 25mm, their heaviest fall in 10 months. Rain will again develop early next week according to weatherzone.com.au as gale force westerlies re-develop over the state. Further heavy falls are likely in western regions with occasional moderate falls also reaching the east near passing fronts. For much of northern and eastern Tasmania the past two years has been the driest on record with over 500mm of rain now required to remove the built up deficiencies.