The Upper Hunter received record braking rains during the last week, resulting in significant flooding of the Hunter River system. Murrurundi received 298mm of rain in the past week, already braking the November monthly record of 200mm set in 1924.  Moonan Flat, at the bottom of the Barrington Tops, also is set to brake its November record with 157mm in the last week. The heaviest rainfall recorded at Moonan Flat Post Office for November is 153mm set also in 1924. The other high values of the Hunter include Hunter Springs, 179mm, Scone AP AWS, 139mm, Merriwa, 105mm, Denman 77mm and Carrowbrook, 75mm.

Much of the flooding has been the worst since 1984. The rain was brought on by an extensive low pressure trough, that was linked to monsoonal heat lows in Western Australia. Such events do occur doing the warmer months and are usually more common during a La Nina period.

back...