Heavy rain predicted for Clarence Valley

One last downpour for 2020 to top up rain gauges in record-breaking December.

Heavy rain is predicted in Grafton tonight as a southerly change sweeps through the region. File photo: Lesley Apps / The Daily Examiner

ONE last downpour for 2020 is set to hit the Clarence Valley tonight and add to record breaking rainfall figures in December.

After the chance of a thunderstorm in Grafton this afternoon, from about 9pm onwards there is a 90 per cent likelihood of heavy rain with falls between 20mm and 40mm, with a smaller chance of similar conditions on the coast at Yamba.

This afternoon the temperature in Grafton is expected to spike at a 23-day high of 34C before the southerly change, which has swept through the southeast of the continent since hitting Melbourne on Sunday evening, and will see daytime maximum temperatures return to below 30 for the remainder of the week.

 

The Clarence River exceeded the 2.1m minor flood level at Grafton in the early afternoon on Wednesday, 16th December, 2020. Photo Bill North / The Daily Examiner

 

Grafton has already received 505.2mm of rain so far in December, which was more than double the previous wettest total in 164 years of records - 209.8mm in 2014.

 

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The unseasonal wet weather resulted in major flooding of the Orara River and minor flooding on the Clarence River in December for the first time on record.

 

Clarence River floods at Grafton for the first time ever in December

VIEW GALLERY

Yamba has not yet exceeded its December rainfall record of 385.2mm in 1970, with 249.8mm so far this month.

Further south a heavy storm swept through Dorrigo early this afternoon bringing 24mm of rain to 4pm while nearby Gleniffer recorded 33mm and Point Lookout 28mm, while Glenreagh has had 29mm.

Dorrigo has received among the highest amounts of rainfall in the state this month with 715.3mm, far above its previous December record of 387.2mm.

Live radar images from the Bureau of Meteorology indicate more storms brewing along the ranges southwest and northwest of the Clarence.

 

Heavy rain in Dorrigo this afternoon as storms brew elsewhere along the ranges.

Overall 2020 has been wetter than average for the Clarence Valley, with 139 rainy days in Grafton for a total of 1592.4mm compared to the annual average of 113.7 rainy days for a total of 992.8mm.

Meanwhile Yamba's 2020 total is up to 1742.8mm across 147 rainy days compared to its average of 1461.3mm and 139.6 rain days per year.

Interestingly, it took the record rainfalls in December to push Dorrigo past its annual average of 2013.5mm. So far Dorrigo has received 2379.9 in 147 days, which is eight less than the average of 155.7 rainy days per year.

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