Rainfall for NE New South Wales and SE QueenslandSome significant rainfalls from 9 am 20/5/2009 up until 9 am 21/5/2009 for north east New South Wales occurred and the highest falls for the period were:-
Mullumbimby - 183 mm.
Lacks Creek (Middle Pocket) - 182 mm.
Myocum - 181 mm.
Green Pigeon - 175 mm.
Tweed Heads - 143 to 146 mm from the local rain gauges.
Murwillimbah - 145 mm.
Tumblegum - 137 mm.
Byron Bay - 136 mm.
Generally falls across the Northern Rivers largely ranged from 100 to 190 mm for the period.
In Brisbane, the rainfall eased after 9 am but the most significant falls for the same period were:-
Gold Creek Reservoir Alert - 286 mm.
Mt Coot Tha Alert - 268 mm.
Pullenvale Alert - 244 mm (Western Brisbane).
Jindalee Alert - 233 mm.
Colleges Crossing Alert - 221 mm.
Koralee - 215 mm.
Enoggera Dam Alert - 214 mm.
Alderley - 206 mm.
Generally other falls across the western suburbs ranged from 101 to 190 mm.
Generally rainfalls across Brisbane's eastern suburbs ranged from 36 to 99 mm.
Rainfall across the NE area of Brisbane ranged from 43 to 98 mm for the period.
For the period 9 am 21/5/2009 to 9 am 22/5/2009, the heavier falls moved further into the Northern Rivers and Coffs Harbour region of New South Wales. The heaviest falls were:-
Northern RiversMullumbimby - 200 mm.
Glen Elgin - 198 mm.
Goonengery - 178 mm.
Casino - 173 mm.
Lismore (Actually at Richmond Hill) - 172 mm.
Northern TablelandsSome of the big falls occurred over the eastern parts of the Northern Tablelands. Glenn Innes received 122 mm yet Armidale 99 km to the south received 15 mm.
Coffs Harbour / Bellinger Valley RegionBellingen - 265 mm.
Lowanna - 258 mm.
Dorrigo Alert - 251 mm.
Dorrigo - 227 mm.
Cooks Creek 192 mm.
Upper Darkwood - 189 mm.
Bowra Sugarloaf 173 mm.
The Bellinger Valley has received the third big rain event since February 2009 and the highest totals in New South Wales for the period. Nearby Coffs Harbour received 77 to 89 mm for the period.
The figures are obtained from the Bureau of Meteorology network of rain gauges available at "Water and the Land".
The 7 day rain plot generated from the Bureau of Meteorology "Water and the Land" site at
http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/silo/rain_maps.cgi is provided. It is generated for the period 16/5/09 to 22/5/09. It shows the coastal region of north east New South receiving from 200 to 300 mm. It also shows that the big falls have been coastal with lighter but still worthwhile falls across the northern inland of the state.
It also shows that Sydney has received some reasonable totals of between 50 and 100 mm (ie - 50 mm falling at Blacktown where I live from numerous shower activity).
Harley Pearman
