Onshore winds with moisture in feed from the north has been responsible for a heavy downpour that caused flash flooding. A very heavy fall in the early hours of this morning has ended February 2002 as the wettest February for at least ten years in some places. In only about 2 hours, up to 100mm of rain fell on some coastal districts. This caused flash flooding in some suburbs of Newcastle and in Port Stephens. 

Nelson Bay recorded 137mm for the 24 hours ending 9am. This total was the heaviest fall for New South Wales over the 24 hour period. Most of this rain would have fallen after midnight. The heaviest falls were only coastal and some were very localised. Williamtown recorded 56.6mm while Maitland recorded 4.5mm. Nobbys recorded 45.0mm while Newcastle University, which is approximately 10 kilometres away, only recorded 8.6mm.

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