Local records tumble after fourth wettest December ever

Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads received incredible rainfall last month which was the highest in 100 years.

The Richmond River rose as heavy rain fell in Lismore in December.

Records tumbled and rain flowed across the Northern Rivers with several local areas recording their wettest December ever in over 100 years of record keeping.

December rainfall was the fourth highest on record for December for Australia as a whole but Tweed Heads led the way across the country for December rainfall.

Tweed Heads Golf Club's old rainfall record of 487.2mm set in 1955 was washed away and replaced by the 558mm they received in 2020.

Nimbin Post Office's previous record in 98 years of record keeping of 497.2 in 1970 was easily bettered 546.9mm they received last December.

Nimbin's other weather station, Goolmangar Creek, also set a record after receiving 604mm which surpassed the past record 381mm in 2010

Murwillumbah bore the brunt of the Northern Rivers rain with new records set at both the Bray Park (638.7mm) and Dungay Taleswoood (681.2mm) sites breaking their previous records from 2010 of 499.9mm and 595.2mm respectively.

Lismore and Casino, which recorded 565.5mm and 513mm in December respectively, broke pre-existing records from 1970.

Several Northern Rivers weather stations, including Dungay Taleswoood, Uki, Mullumbimby also made the top six for the heaviest daily rainfall recorded in December.

For those hoping 2021 brings some relief from the consistent rainfall, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned that La Nina, a main reason for the rainfall, is likely to persist for a few more months.

SEE MORE: The rain and heat is set to come to the Northern Rivers.

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