For 12 days and counting, Sydney has been soaked by relentless rainfall, and the wet spell is not quite done yet.

Below are the rainfall totals recorded at Sydney’s Observatory Hill gauge over the last 12 days: 

(You might want to look away now if you’re reading this in Adelaide or Perth or another part of Australia which has been starved of significant rainfall for weeks or even months.)

• April 22: 1.6mm
• April 23: 16.4mm
• April 24: 0.6mm
• April 25: 17.2mm
• April 26: 0.8mm
• April 27: 38mm
• April 28: 25mm
• April 29: 9.4mm
• April 30: 16.8mm
• May 1: 13.8mm
• May 2: 18.8mm
• May 3: 0.2mm to 10am on Friday, May 2*

*(Rainfall totals in Australia are measured using the 24 hours to 9am on any given day. So May 3 totals include anything after 9am on May 2, and between midnight and 9am on May 3.)

Overall, the daily figures listed above are not huge totals. Sydney has recorded just under 160mm in total in the 12-day streak to date.

Sydney receives well over 100mm of rain on average in both April and May, so locals expect a good soaking at this time of year. Indeed, the city experienced a 14-day rainy streak to kick off May last year, so the current conditions are far from unprecedented.

Image: Radar loop showing rainfall in the Sydney region in late April and early May, 2025. A persistent onshore flow pushed showers towards the city from the northeast in the first part of the period, with southerly winds feeding a coastal trough supported by an upper level feature in recent days.

But this wet streak has still been frustrating for locals, with periods of sunshine inevitably broken by heavy showers. Just when you think you’ve found a window to hang out some washing, rain clouds roll in and dampen your hopes – and the washing you hung out 12 days ago.

So when will the soggy streak end?

Soon. Skies should start to clear this weekend, meaning the only deluge Sydney folk should experience on Saturday is the flood of election flyers at the polling booth.

While coastal parts of Sydney could see a clearing shower on Saturday, the whole city looks set to dry up until at least midweek next week – with the mercury rising into the mid-twenties by Tuesday, perfect for drying that huge pile of washing in the laundry.

RINSE AND REPEAT: Our story on the May 2024 two-week rainy spell