VIDEO: Month's Worth of Rain in 24 Hours
A month's worth of rain inundated east-central Australia in only 24 hours, forcing thousands of Australians from their homes.
More than a half of a foot of rain poured down on the coastline of southern Queensland and far northern New South Wales Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Brisbane measured 6.63 inches (168.4 mm) in 24 hours, ending at 9 a.m. Wednesday (local time, 6 p.m. EST Tuesday).
Typically, the city receives just shy of 5 inches (127 mm) during the entire month of January.
Video courtesy of the Associated Press.
Brisbane does not sit at the top of the 24-hour rainfall totals list.
Corbould Park Race Course, located north of Brisbane, was inundated with 11.34 inches (288 mm). Oxenford, a town south of Brisbane, picked up 8.43 inches (214 mm).
The remains of a frontal boundary, combined with a surge of moisture riding up the eastern slopes of the mountains that line the Great Dividing Range, led to the severe soaking.
Runoff from the torrential rain rapidly forced rivers out of their banks and triggered landslides.
The AFP reports that officials ordered 4,200 residents of five towns in New South Wales from their homes. Twenty-six swift water rescues were performed in neighboring Queensland.
The flooding also prompted Queensland Premier Anna Bligh to cancel official Australia Day celebrations in Brisbane, according to The Australian Newspaper.
Downpours will remain a threat to Australia's east-central coast through at least Friday, while other dangers lurk elsewhere across the nation.
A tropical disturbance threatens to spread flooding rain southward through the interior of eastern Australia into this weekend, while a newly-formed tropical cyclone could reach hurricane strength as it approaches the nation's northwestern tip.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 100° | Smyrna, TN |
| Low | 15° | Sunset Crater, AZ |
| Precip | 3.99" | Wadena, MN |
WeatherWhys®
Hail is much more common during the months of May and June compared to July and August. The main reason is the fact that the freezing level is usually higher during July and August as pockets of cold air in the upper atmosphere are less common as the jet stream weakens and retreats farther north.
This Day In Weather History
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