The kids of Maitland must feel cursed – as their holidays ended and the school gates opened for the first time this year the heavens dumped over triple the January 2014 monthly total in a single day on their crisp, new uniforms.
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The Belmore Bridge recorded 76mm in the 48 hours before 3pm yesterday afternoon, with Maitland Visitors Centre receiving 53mm.
Chichester Dam jumped nearly 15 per cent to reach capacity. Grahamstown Dam missed out on most of the top-up but was still hovering comfortably close to 80 per cent.
Weather Watch meteorologist Don White, said that despite the theatrics, the weather was not unusual for late summer.
“While it might be more at home in late February or March, the extended period of hot, humid weather over the last few weeks has been a contributing factor as onshore winds converged with the moist air.”
The good news is that the temperatures are expected to return to the high-20s for the weekend and into February.
SES: WORST HAS PASSED
Roads remain closed at Vacy and Dungog following heavy rain but the State Emergency Service believes the worst has passed.
SES Hunter Region deputy region controller Ken Speer said that both the Paterson and Williams river levels were falling and the service expected the trend to continue.
“Of course, a potential downpour could make them rise, but at this stage there’s only a 50 per cent chance of rain [Thursday] and 20 per cent the day after.
But, with the weather, anything can change.”
