Rain brings some relief to parched states of Australia by Susan Powell
Parts of Australia have had their heaviest rainfall in years over the last few days. A massive weather front moved steadily east over much of the drought-affected states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria.
According to local meteorologists many places have had 25 to 30mm (approx. an inch) and in many places it is still raining. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reports 45mm (1.8 inches) across Victoria causing flash-flooding in some areas.
As the rain has been steady rather than sudden bursts from thunderstorms, it is less likely to run off and will soak into the ground. Although the widespread rain is good for farmers, meteorologists warn, it is still not enough to significantly alter major river and reservoir levels.
The drought has made life very stressful for many Victorians. Over the past few weeks the country has turned from brown to green. Some farmers in Wompinie (NSW) were looking forward to having a shower, as they had been washing out of a bucket for the past two years.
BoM said the rainfall reflected a shift in weather patterns back to a more ‘normal situation.’
‘El Nino has broken, and there’s signs of La Nina, which is associated with average or above average rainfalls.’
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