‘Drenched’: Perth shatters 29-year winter rainfall record
Sydney’s not the only city being blasted by rain, with another Aussie capital hitting a rare weather milestone for the first time in nearly three decades.
Sydney’s not the only city being blasted by rain, with Perth achieving a rare weather milestone — beating its long-term rainfall average for each month of winter.
It’s the first time the city has hit the marker in almost three decades, with a wild storm overnight taking the August rainfall to 130.8mm, according to Perth Now.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, 20mm of rain was recorded to 9am on Wednesday. The Bureau takes its rainfall figures over a 24-hour period from 9am to 9am each day.
It means that Perth has beaten its long-term average rainfall for every winter month of June, July and August for the first time since 1996.
The long-term average for August is 122.7mm — and with more rain on the way it is set to be further dwarfed.
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In June, Perth had 129.8mm of rain, with the long-term average being 127.2mm.
In July, it had 174.4mm. The long-term average, taken from the Bureau’s Mt Lawley site since 1993, is 147mm.
Perth topped its total winter rainfall average for the months of June, July and August combined in 2024 but not separately. June was below average.
More rain is expected in the city Thursday, though falls will be light, with the mercury hitting a top of 18C after a low of 9C.
A chilly morning of 8C will start off Friday before the temperature gets to 19C. Minimal rain is expected.
A smattering of rain is predicted on Saturday between temps of 7C and 21C and a partly cloudy day.
The rain then returns with vengeance on Sunday, with up to 40mm tipped to fall amid a top of 18C.
Meanwhile, Sydney could receive its entire average monthly rainfall for August on just Thursday and Friday as the incessant downpours continue.
Already three times August’s usual rainfall has come down since the start of the month making it the wettest August for 27 years.
Two men are missing in the weather chaos after a car crashed into a river in northern Sydney on Wednesday night.
Over the coming two days some isolated areas on the east coast could see in excess of 150mm of rain with 60 to 120mm likely across swathes of New South Wales.
“These rainfall accumulations over the next two to three days are going to have an impact, and it’s for that reason, that we’ve issued widespread flood watches across NSW,” said the Bureau of Meteorology’s Miriam Bradbury.
Brisbane and the Gold Coast could also be set to see downpours on the weekend.
“These rainfall accumulations over the next two to three days are going to have an impact, and it’s for that reason, that we’ve issued widespread flood watches,” said the Bureau of Meteorology’s Miriam Bradbury.
The cause of the never-ending soggy story is above average sea surface temperatures on the east coast.
A high pressure system is dragging that moisture laden air towards the coast where it is interacting with a trough.
According to Weatherzone, Sydney has received 262.8mm of rain so far this month. That’s all the more extraordinary when you consider August is usually the city’s fourth driest month.
Reporting withPerth Now
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Originally published as ‘Drenched’: Perth shatters 29-year winter rainfall record
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