Sydney and Brisbane are set to swelter through a hot public holiday on Monday, with temperatures forecast to reach 31C and 32C respectively. The warm weather follows a record-breaking wet September across parts of New South Wales and Queensland, where more than a dozen locations smashed monthly rainfall records.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, 21 places in Queensland and six in New South Wales recorded their wettest September on record. Topaz, in Queensland's Tablelands, was the wettest location in Australia, receiving about 700mm of rain—more than six times its average and more than double its previous record. Other areas, including Millaa Millaa and Ravenshoe, also more than doubled their previous records.
In New South Wales, six sites broke monthly rain records for September, including Albion Park, Nowra Boat Shed, and Kiama. Daily records tumbled in over 40 places as a low pressure system crossed the state on 10 and 11 September. Sydney stations collected more than a dozen daily records, with Marrickville Golf Club recording 81mm on 11 September, breaking a 1916 record.
While the east coast experienced heavy rain, South Australia and Victoria were much drier, with September rainfall 44-45% below the 1961-1990 average. The weekend is expected to be the warmest since autumn began for many in the south-east, ahead of a cold front moving eastwards from Perth.
Senior meteorologist Sarah Scully noted that a lot of heat has been dragged down over south-eastern Australia in gusty north-westerly winds, with significantly cooler conditions following in the wake of the front. Australia's climate has warmed by 1.5C since bureau records began in 1910.
