Sydney’s rain to linger but won’t be enough to reach monthly average
Wet weather is expected to linger over Sydney for the coming week, but the rain is unlikely to help the city reach its monthly rainfall average.
It comes just days after Sydney experienced its hottest day of a five-day heatwave on Tuesday with temperatures spiking at 40 degrees.
Jack Vanny Memorial Park in Maroubra is drenched on Friday.Credit:Louise Kennerley
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Hugh McDowell said a combination of a low-pressure system near Tasmania, coupled with an onshore flow from a high-pressure system over the Tasman Sea and an inland trough would result in rainy conditions for Sydney for the next week.
Since 9am on Friday, Katoomba recorded 25 millimetres, while Gosford recorded 14.4 mm. Closer to Sydney, Terrey Hills had 17.6mm, Parramatta got 7mm and Sydney Observatory Hill had 7.8mm.
In comparison, some places in the Riverina recorded up to 58mm in the same time period, while Cootamundra in the state’s South West Slopes, recorded 52mm.
But the lingering wet weather won’t be enough for Sydney to reach its monthly average rainfall. Throughout January, Sydney Observatory Hill has recorded 57.8mm, 43.4mm behind the monthly average.
“We are quite behind [the average]; it’s been quite dry for January,” Mr McDowell said. “The latest wet weather is not out of the ordinary.”
He added it was unlikely the coming wet week would be enough for the city to reach its average.
“It’s possible, but not likely,” he said.
On Saturday, Sydney is expected to reach 29 degrees, with a possible shower. Mr McDowell said there was a chance of thunderstorms across the city if the cloud cover breaks, causing temperatures to increase and mix with the moist air hanging above the city.
Last year, Sydney recorded 1551.2mm - the most since 1998. NSW’s annual rainfall last year of 636mm was back above the long-run average for the first time since 2016, with totals more than double those in 2019.
Laura is a crime reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.