Flooding in SE QLD and NE NSW: May 1996

Storm News
and Chasing
[Index][Archives]

Flooding in SE QLD and NE NSW: May 1996
by Michael Bath

Major flooding occurred in many regions of north eastern NSW and south eastern Queensland during the first week of May. The worst affected areas were the Brisbane metropolitan area and the Darling Downs, and in NSW, towns on the Clarence River, particularly Grafton. Major roads were cut, including the Pacific Highway near Maclean and near Murwillumbah. Inland areas also received copious rainfalls, with moderate flooding on some rivers - in fact the first signs of the developing rain event were from some heavy storm rainfall in the Upper Western district of NSW on the 30th April.

A strong blocking high in the southern Tasman Sea developed at the beginning of the month and directed moist E to NE winds into NSW and Qld. A series of upper air disturbances, troughs and coastal low pressure systems triggered the widespread heavy rainfalls. In the hills behind the Gold Coast, a few centres recorded over 1000 mm of rain in 7 days to 9am 7th May. Heaviest 7 day falls in NSW included 582 mm at Dorrigo and 575 mm at Drake. Gales occurred in coastal areas as a result of a strengthening low off the SE Queensland coast during the 1st to the 3rd of May.

The widespread nature of the heavy rainfalls and its persistence can be shown in the following list of 24 hour rainfalls in NSW. Only falls of 50 mm or more in a 24 hour period are shown, and from only the official daily recording rainfall stations that reported.

Tuesday 30th April 1996

Rainfall Location District

81mm Barrigun Upper Western

98mm Enngonia Upper Western

82mm Fords Bridge Upper Western

Rainfall	Location	District
81mm	Barrigun	Upper Western
98mm	Enngonia	Upper Western
82mm	Fords Bridge	Upper Western

Wednesday 1st May 1996

Rainfall Location District

52mm Drake Northern Tablelands

93mm Tweed Heads Northern Rivers

98mm Murwillumbah Northern Rivers

50mm Ballina Ap Northern Rivers

59mm Mullumbimby Northern Rivers

58mm Nimbin Northern Rivers

58mm Bellingen Mid North Coast

Rainfall	Location	District
52mm	Drake	Northern Tablelands
93mm	Tweed Heads	Northern Rivers
98mm	Murwillumbah	Northern Rivers
50mm	Ballina Ap	Northern Rivers
59mm	Mullumbimby	Northern Rivers
58mm	Nimbin	Northern Rivers
58mm	Bellingen	Mid North Coast

Thursday 2nd May 1996

Rainfall Location District

65mm Collarenabri Upper Western

64mm Boomi North West Plains

60mm Mungindi North West Plains

70mm Nyngan Central West Plains

111mm Drake Northern Tablelands

115mm Tabulam Northern Tablelands

115mm Tabulam Muirne Northern Tablelands

78mm Ballina Ap Northern Rivers

90mm Casino AWS Northern Rivers

70mm Casino Northern Rivers

96mm Grafton Northern Rivers

57mm Kyogle Northern Rivers

84mm Lismore Northern Rivers

96mm Mullumbimby Northern Rivers

98mm Murwillumbah Northern Rivers

65mm Nimbin Northern Rivers

76mm Tweed Heads Northern Rivers

80mm Whiporie Northern Rivers

75mm Woodburn Northern Rivers

64mm Yamba Northern Rivers

53mm Bellingen Mid North Coast

54mm Coffs Harbour Mid North Coast

68mm Macksville Mid North Coast

92mm Nambucca Hds Mid North Coast

66mm Comboyne Mid North Coast

52mm Mt. Seaview Mid North Coast

50mm Taree Mid North Coast

50mm Wauchope Mid North Coast

Rainfall	Location	District
65mm	Collarenabri	Upper Western
64mm	Boomi	North West Plains
60mm	Mungindi	North West Plains
70mm	Nyngan	Central West Plains
111mm	Drake	Northern Tablelands
115mm	Tabulam	Northern Tablelands
115mm	Tabulam Muirne	Northern Tablelands
78mm	Ballina Ap	Northern Rivers
90mm	Casino AWS	Northern Rivers
70mm	Casino	Northern Rivers
96mm	Grafton	Northern Rivers
57mm	Kyogle	Northern Rivers
84mm	Lismore	Northern Rivers
96mm	Mullumbimby	Northern Rivers
98mm	Murwillumbah	Northern Rivers
65mm	Nimbin	Northern Rivers
76mm	Tweed Heads	Northern Rivers
80mm	Whiporie	Northern Rivers
75mm	Woodburn	Northern Rivers
64mm	Yamba	Northern Rivers
53mm	Bellingen	Mid North Coast
54mm	Coffs Harbour	Mid North Coast
68mm	Macksville	Mid North Coast
92mm	Nambucca Hds	Mid North Coast
66mm	Comboyne	Mid North Coast
52mm	Mt. Seaview	Mid North Coast
50mm	Taree	Mid North Coast
50mm	Wauchope	Mid North Coast

Friday 3rd May 1996

Rainfall Location District

155mm Drake Northern Tablelands

52mm Gowan Brae Northern Tablelands

79mm Point Lookout Northern Tablelands

145mm Tabulam Northern Tablelands

180mm Tabulam Muirne Northern Tablelands

63mm Blackheath Central Tablelands

76mm Katoomba Central Tablelands

58mm Cape Byron Northern Rivers

112mm Casino Northern Rivers

135mm Casino AWS Northern Rivers

141mm Grafton Northern Rivers

61mm Lismore Northern Rivers

61mm Mullumbimby Northern Rivers

102mm Murwillumbah Northern Rivers

174mm Whiporie Northern Rivers

98mm Woodburn Northern Rivers

132mm Yamba Northern Rivers

122mm Bellbrook Mid North Coast

181mm Bellingen Mid North Coast

152mm Coffs Harbour Mid North Coast

187mm Dorrigo Mid North Coast

110mm Kempsey Mid North Coast

112mm Macksville Mid North Coast

94mm Nambucca Hds Mid North Coast

72mm Smoky Cape Mid North Coast

96mm Comboyne Mid North Coast

152mm Mt. Seaview Mid North Coast

77mm Wauchope Mid North Coast

Rainfall	Location	District
155mm	Drake	Northern Tablelands
52mm	Gowan Brae	Northern Tablelands
79mm	Point Lookout	Northern Tablelands
145mm	Tabulam	Northern Tablelands
180mm	Tabulam Muirne	Northern Tablelands
63mm	Blackheath	Central Tablelands
76mm	Katoomba	Central Tablelands
58mm	Cape Byron	Northern Rivers
112mm	Casino	Northern Rivers
135mm	Casino AWS	Northern Rivers
141mm	Grafton	Northern Rivers
61mm	Lismore	Northern Rivers
61mm	Mullumbimby	Northern Rivers
102mm	Murwillumbah	Northern Rivers
174mm	Whiporie	Northern Rivers
98mm	Woodburn	Northern Rivers
132mm	Yamba	Northern Rivers
122mm	Bellbrook	Mid North Coast
181mm	Bellingen	Mid North Coast
152mm	Coffs Harbour	Mid North Coast
187mm	Dorrigo	Mid North Coast
110mm	Kempsey	Mid North Coast
112mm	Macksville	Mid North Coast
94mm	Nambucca Hds	Mid North Coast
72mm	Smoky Cape	Mid North Coast
96mm	Comboyne	Mid North Coast
152mm	Mt. Seaview	Mid North Coast
77mm	Wauchope	Mid North Coast

Saturday 4th May 1996

Rainfall Location District

55mm Bourke Ap Upper Western

97mm Brewarrina Upper Western

61mm Nyngan Central West Plains

63mm Drake Northern Tablelands

73mm Katoomba Central Tablelands

65mm Mt. Seaview Mid North Coast

144mm Dorrigo Mid North Coast

55mm Darkes Forest Illawarra

Rainfall	Location	District
55mm	Bourke Ap	Upper Western
97mm	Brewarrina	Upper Western
61mm	Nyngan	Central West Plains
63mm	Drake	Northern Tablelands
73mm	Katoomba	Central Tablelands
65mm	Mt. Seaview	Mid North Coast
144mm	Dorrigo	Mid North Coast
55mm	Darkes Forest	Illawarra

Sunday 5th May 1996

Rainfall Location District

65mm Nyngan Central West Plains

75mm Drake Northern Tablelands

63mm Gowan Brae Northern Tablelands

53mm Katoomba Central Tablelands

50mm Goulburn AWS Southern Tablelands

88mm Dorrigo Mid North Coast

67mm Bowral Illawarra

67mm Darkes Forest Illawarra

56mm Moss Vale Illawarra

58mm Picton Illawarra

173mm Robertson Illawarra

97mm Wollongong Illawarra

Rainfall	Location	District
65mm	Nyngan	Central West Plains
75mm	Drake	Northern Tablelands
63mm	Gowan Brae	Northern Tablelands
53mm	Katoomba	Central Tablelands
50mm	Goulburn AWS	Southern Tablelands
88mm	Dorrigo	Mid North Coast
67mm	Bowral	Illawarra
67mm	Darkes Forest	Illawarra
56mm	Moss Vale	Illawarra
58mm	Picton	Illawarra
173mm	Robertson	Illawarra
97mm	Wollongong	Illawarra

Monday 6th May 1996

Rainfall Location District

55mm Hillston Riverina

51mm Woolbrook North West Slopes

84mm Drake Northern Tablelands

58mm Tabulam Muirne Northern Tablelands

59mm Tia (Highrent) Northern Tablelands

55mm Wattlegrove Northern Tablelands

51mm Charlotte Pass Southern Tablelands

51mm Thredbo Southern Tablelands

75mm Tidbinbilla Southern Tablelands

78mm Comboyne Mid North Coast

105mm Robertson Illawarra

50mm Araluen South Coast

60mm Braidwood South Coast

54mm Milton South Coast

71mm Narooma South Coast

Rainfall	Location	District
55mm	Hillston	Riverina
51mm	Woolbrook	North West Slopes
84mm	Drake	Northern Tablelands
58mm	Tabulam Muirne	Northern Tablelands
59mm	Tia (Highrent)	Northern Tablelands
55mm	Wattlegrove	Northern Tablelands
51mm	Charlotte Pass	Southern Tablelands
51mm	Thredbo	Southern Tablelands
75mm	Tidbinbilla	Southern Tablelands
78mm	Comboyne	Mid North Coast
105mm	Robertson	Illawarra
50mm	Araluen	South Coast
60mm	Braidwood	South Coast
54mm	Milton	South Coast
71mm	Narooma	South Coast

Tuesday 7th May 1996

Rainfall Location District

86mm Ballina Northern Rivers

225mm Cape Byron Northern Rivers

51mm Casino Northern Rivers

55mm Grafton Northern Rivers

60mm Kyogle Northern Rivers

66mm Lismore Northern Rivers

139mm Mullumbimby Northern Rivers

58mm Murwillumbah Northern Rivers

68mm Nimbin Northern Rivers

57mm Tweed Heads Northern Rivers

75mm Woodburn Northern Rivers

117mm Yamba Northern Rivers

57mm Casino AWS Northern Rivers

59mm Bellingen Mid North Coast

88mm Coffs Harbour Mid North Coast

57mm Dorrigo Mid North Coast

80mm Kempsey Mid North Coast

61mm Macksville Mid North Coast

90mm Nambucca Hds Mid North Coast

77mm Smoky Cape Mid North Coast

58mm Laurieton Mid North Coast

103mm Port Macquarie Mid North Coast

66mm Wauchope Mid North Coast

Rainfall	Location	District
86mm	Ballina	Northern Rivers
225mm	Cape Byron	Northern Rivers
51mm	Casino	Northern Rivers
55mm	Grafton	Northern Rivers
60mm	Kyogle	Northern Rivers
66mm	Lismore	Northern Rivers
139mm	Mullumbimby	Northern Rivers
58mm	Murwillumbah	Northern Rivers
68mm	Nimbin	Northern Rivers
57mm	Tweed Heads	Northern Rivers
75mm	Woodburn	Northern Rivers
117mm	Yamba	Northern Rivers
57mm	Casino AWS	Northern Rivers
59mm	Bellingen	Mid North Coast
88mm	Coffs Harbour	Mid North Coast
57mm	Dorrigo	Mid North Coast
80mm	Kempsey	Mid North Coast
61mm	Macksville	Mid North Coast
90mm	Nambucca Hds	Mid North Coast
77mm	Smoky Cape	Mid North Coast
58mm	Laurieton	Mid North Coast
103mm	Port Macquarie	Mid North Coast
66mm	Wauchope	Mid North Coast

Synoptic Charts

Synoptic Charts provided by the Bureau of Meteorology

MSL Analysis 4 pm Eastern Standard Time

MSL Analysis 4 pm Eastern Standard Time

MSL Analysis 1 pm Eastern Standard Time

MSL Analysis 10 pm Eastern Standard Time

MSL Analysis 4 pm Eastern Standard Time

MSL Analysis 4 pm Eastern Standard Time

Document: 9605-01.htm
Updated: 6th April, 2004

[Australian Severe Weather index] [Copyright Notice] [Email Contacts] [Search This Site]