HEAVY rain is causing widespread flooding in QLD and northern NSW and there is more rain to come. The heavy rain has caused widespread flooding with warnings in force for over 20 rivers.

This is falling over an already-saturated ground. Over the past week an accumulated total of 400mm had been recorded in the Mid North Coast. The overnight totals of 100-150mm will bring this over the half-metre-mark.

At Coffs Harbour rainfall rates reached 14mm in 10 minutes, with 155mm falling in twelve hours. This represents three quarters of the February average and it is the heaviest daily total in 3 years.

Many nearby locations exceeded 100mm, including:

• Bellingen 150mm
• Bowra Sugarloaf 156mm
• Grafton 129mm

Across the border in QLD the trough triggered heavy rain in the Maranoa and Warrego district, including 102mm at Munnaweena and 51mm at Mitchell.

This deluge is due to a slow moving low pressure trough, triggering rain out of the saturated atmosphere.

This widespread, heavy rain follows on from a very wet week and has resulted in multiple flood warnings, including major flood warnings along the Darling river.

Unfortunately for flood-prone locations, there is much more to come before dryer conditions prevail. Today and tomorrow could see back-to-back 50-100mm falls over the same region.

The trough will weaken into the weekend with much drier weather during the weekend, providing a much needed relief for stressed river-systems.