Monster rainfall to inundate the outback

Inland Australia is in for a mammoth drenching this week as the remnants of tropical cyclone ­Esther push across the country.

Inland Australia is in for a mammoth drenching this week as the remnants of tropical cyclone ­Esther push across the country, delivering much-needed rain from the Kimberley to Victoria’s east coast.

Parts of the Northern Territory, southwest Queensland, western NSW and central and eastern Victoria are looking at a spell of cool wet weather in the coming week.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Narromore said large swaths of the country were expected to receive their best rainfall in a year, with flood warnings in place in multiple regions.

“It’s going to rain everywhere inland, east of Ayers Rock to Oodnadatta and Melbourne,” he said.

“It’s going to track slowly east and southeast through the NT and Queensland and western NSW during the week and into the end of the week.”

An inland flood watch has been issued for large areas of the NT including the Tanami Desert, Central Desert, MacDonnell Ranges, Barkly, Georgina River and Simpson Desert.

Widespread falls of 80mm are expected across the Tanami Desert on Tuesday, with some areas to receive as much as 150mm. Alice Springs will get 20-50mm on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The ex-cyclone was expected to reach central NSW by Wednesday before travelling across the state over Thursday and reaching Victoria some time on Friday.

While West Australia, South Australia and western parts of Victoria would remain dry throughout the week, Tasmania could see the final lashings of Cyclone Esther as it made its southerly exit.