RAINFALL was observed around most of the coastline of Australia, except in the north-west and South Australia.

Past seven days: Showers continued across parts of the Top End and the north and east coast of Cape York Peninsula, following heavy falls during the previous week.

Leading up to the middle of the week a surface trough developed over inland Queensland, bringing areas of mostly light showers through inland Queensland and coastal Queensland and north-east New South Wales in onshore flow.

By the middle of the week coastal south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales observed moderate to locally heavy falls as a smaller, persistent coastal trough generated areas of cloud over land.

A ridge of high pressure across southern Australia kept much of the country dry during the first part of the week, before cold fronts and troughs brought light to moderate falls. The first frontal system and associated cloud band crossed the south-west during the 29th. Further fronts and troughs brought rainfall in both south-east Australia and Western Australia’s south coast, then northern parts of the South West Land Division, from the 2nd into the morning of the 4th.

Weekly rainfall totals in excess of 100mm were observed in coastal south-east Queensland, including the highest weekly total: 202 mm at Caloundra Airport, on the Sunshine Coast. Falls in excess of 100 mm were reported locally in parts of New South Wales’ Upper North Coast and Western Australia’s South Coast districts.

Rainfall totals between 50mm and 100mm were observed in coastal south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales, pockets of Queensland’s coast further north, the south coast of Western Australia, pockets of west coast Victoria and the Alpine region.

Rainfall totals over 10mm were observed surrounding higher totals and also across the south-west of Western Australia, large parts of the northern Gascoyne and adjacent Interior District; the northern half of the Top End in the Northern Territory; the inland slopes and plains in New South Wales, extending to the south-east, through the Alpine region into north-eastern Victoria; much of the remainder of Victoria away from the far east, inland west, north-west, and northern country; and much of western and northern Tasmania.

Highest weekly totals

New South Wales

122mm Wooli Beach

115mm Minnie Water (Pump Shed)

110mm Yamba Pilot Station

Victoria

125mm Aireys Inlet

52mm Cobden (Post Office)

51mm Meredith (Darra)

Queensland

202mm Caloundra Airport

167mm Rainbow Beach

149mm Lady Elliot Island

Western Australia

129mm Windy Harbour

128mm Walpole Forestry

116mm Windrush

South Australia

10mm Maralinga

8mm Parawa (Second Valley Forest AWS)

7mm Rodwell Creek (Highland Valley)

Tasmania

37mm Mount Read

29mm Lake Margaret Dam

26mm Low Rocky Point

Northern Territory

61mm Groote Eylandt Airport

51mm Kangaroo Flats (Defence)

48mm Darwin River Dam