May 2001 has ended as a very wet month at many locations in the Hunter. Clarence Town, Dungog, Nobbys Head, Norah Head and Williamtown all broke there highest monthly rainfall totals for May. Clarence town recorded 428mm in the month (previous record, 354), Dungog recorded 434mm (previous record, 290), Nobbys Head recorded 441mm (previous record, 362), Norah Head 475mm (previous record, 332) and Williamtown 402mm (previous record, 340). These values made the Lower Hunter the wettest place in the state for May.

As it can be seen, there is a strip along the NSW coast, extending from the South Coast to the Mid North Coast with rainfall totals above 200mm. A dark blue area, which covers part of the Hunter, shows totals between 300-400mm.

May also ended a very wet autumn, with rainfall anomalies in a large area of north eastern NSW in the +200 - 400mm range for the season. The Metropolitan, Hunter, Mid North Coast and the Northern Rivers all recorded above average to very much above average rainfall in Autumn as shown by Map 2. The largest extant of heavy falls was recorded in the Hunter and the Mid North Coast, making these two districts the wettest in all of New South Wales.

For more information regarding this event, go to the Bureau of Meteorology Media Release for the 5 June, 2001.

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