Tristan Meyers, 02 Aug 2015, 2:27 AM UTC
Rain and thunderstorms saturate southern NSW
Areas of rain rolled across southern New South Wales yesterday and into early this morning, bringing some of the best August rainfall in several years for some places.
The highest inhabited town of Australia, Cabramurra, collected 55mm, its highest August total since 2003. Rain fell at a steady rate since midday yesterday, abating only early this morning.
Elsewhere, Wagga Wagga and Tocumwal collected their largest August totals in five years at 29mm and 14mm, respectively.
Canberrans also were hit with their heaviest August total in four years with 31mm. This one-day total already makes up nearly 70 per cent of their entire August average rainfall. Nearby, a gauge at Corin Dam recorded a soggy 53mm, whilst high above the city the Brindabellas copped 44mm.
This rain event was triggered by an unstable band of air in the mid-levels of the atmosphere. As it shifted east across the state yesterday and early this morning, a trough was able to provide enough surface convergence to trigger persistent areas of rain as well as a few thunderstorms. This layer of air had a long journey, as it originally derived from the tropical waters off the northwest coast of WA, and so was unusually moist.
More showers are on their way to southern New South Wales tomorrow with a front, but falls should be substantially less.
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