Storms continue to batter Victoria, but hit and miss

ARARAT has already received 22mm of rain today as thunderstorms continue to batter Victoria.

Flooding

ARARAT has opened today’s rain account with 22mm already as thunderstorms continue to batter Victoria.

Castlemaine recorded 18mm as a storm moved across western Victoria this morning with more hefty rain totals expected around the state today.

The Bureau of Meteorology expected similar weather today with thunderstorms dumping big totals in isolated areas.

Geelong yesterday received double its average monthly rainfall in about 30 minutes.

Werribee irrigators, struggling with a 15 per cent allocation this season, caught the edge of the one in a 100 year storm which battered Avalon with 72mm yesterday.

Lismore, north of Lake Corangamite, was under a cloudburst with 79mm yesterday.

Swan Hill had 16mm, Kyabram 24mm and Heathcote recorded 26mm yesterday in a day of hits and misses.

Rainfall totals to 9am today: Swan Hill 16mm, Eversley 40mm, Mt William 42mm, Kyabram 24mm, Shepparton 9mm, Berringama 12mm, Lake Dartmouth 14mm, Archerton 9mm, Geelong 45mm, Laverton 14mm, Castlemaine 18mm, Clunes 19mm, Castlemaine 18mm, Heathcote 26mm, Carrum 12mm, Pollocksford 20mm, Lismore 79mm.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology released its climate outlook today forecasting that rainfall was more likely to be above average in parts of eastern Australia next month.

For February to April, rainfall is more likely to be above average across much of the southern half of Australia with the strongest probabilities in the southeast.

The tropical north however, is favoured to have a drier than average period.

The bureau said the current outlook reflected a combination of influences — a strong El Nino now in decline, record-warm Indian Ocean temperatures and warm localised sea surface temperatures, particularly around Tasmania.