Record rainfall for Ballina
The recent onslaught of severe weather continued across southeast Queensland and north-east New South Wales overnight as heavy rain and gales lashed the region, according to weatherzone.com.au
Ballina picked up a whopping 153mm in the 24 hours to 9am, its highest January daily rainfall in 15 years of records. Murwillumbah received 101mm and Lismore 100mm in the same time period.
Cape Byron recorded wind gusts of up to 95km/hr through yesterday afternoon and overnight last night. Winds of this strength have the potential to bring down large branches and small trees.
“A deep low pressure system is sitting off the southern Queensland coast. This low is driving the gale force winds and heavy rain across far north-east New South Wales and southeast Queensland,” weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt Pearce said.
“The low is not really moving anywhere in a hurry so we are likely to see the wet, windy weather continue in these regions through the rest of today at least. By tomorrow morning, the focus of the strongest winds and heaviest rain will shift southwards to the Mid North Coast of New South Wales.
“Up to 80mm is possible in the vicinity of Port Macquarie and the nearby ranges. We will then see a gradual easing on Saturday night into Sunday as the low weakens.”
Minor flooding has been reported along the Richmond River near Kyogle.
“Although we have seen some local river rises and minor flooding around the place, we are not expecting any major problems from this system. The far nort-heast corner of New South Wales generally requires daily rainfall amounts in the order of 200 to 300 millimetres before we start seeing significant flooding,” Mr Pearce said.
