Four days after Tropical Cyclone Kirrily made landfall in Townsville the weather system is causing havoc almost 1,500 kilometres away in outback New South Wales.
Key points:
- Humidity from tropical cyclone Kirrily has fuelled storms lashing parts of NSW
- Lightning Ridge farmer Jacinda Barry welcomed the more than 180mm of rain that fell on her property
- The wet weather is expected to continue today
The lingering humidity from the now ex-cyclone has brought flash flooding and intense storms to parts of the state's north-west, including Lightning Ridge, Moree and at Murrurundi in the Upper Hunter Valley.
Homes and businesses in Lightning Ridge are cleaning up after almost 66 millimetres of rain fell in two hours on Monday, sending a muddy stream of water through the town.
Floodwater entered the Lightning Ridge Bowling Club, something the club's chief executive Scott Bailey had never seen done before.
"The clue is in the title — we live in Lightning Ridge, the water goes around us, not on us," Mr Bailey said.
"I watched the awning from our outdoor area collapse ... the stormwater drains weren't keeping up and we actually had water in the foyer, auditorium, gaming room, the beer garden and bottle shop."
NSW State Emergency Service Superintendent Joshua Clark said 18 active incidents were reported in the space of two hours in Lightning Ridge.
"Mainly sandbag requests and storm damage support, but there's definitely access issues around the town," he said.
"The roads are in atrocious conditions for driving."
Outside of town farmers like Jacinda Barry welcomed the rain, which filled her dams for the first time in 12 years.
The official rain gauge recorded 86 millimetres, but Ms Barry said 180mm fell on her farm.
"We have had 12 years of dams that are not full, so if it wasn't for bore water and the Great Artesian Basin we wouldn't have had water," she said.
"We are going to put in a crop this year, it means the cattle are going to have feed and be fat and happy.
"It is a double-edged sword — there are so many businesses and homes in Lightning Ridge that have been damaged and lost so much."
Ms Barry said the heavy falls appear to have been isolated.
"So many farmers have missed out," she said.
"I saw a post on our Facebook post going, '30 kilometres south-west and we got 10 millimetres.'
"That's quite heartbreaking and it makes me feel sad for them."
More rain on the way
It comes as parts of Southern Queensland are drenched with Samford, north-west of Brisbane recording more than 300 mm in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile significant falls have been recorded further south in NSW with Murrurundi, south of Tamworth receiving 76mm of rain.
The airport recorded 76mm, but only 0.8mm fell in the town itself.
The SES has warned residents in the border regions that more rain is on the way.
"There are a number of storms that are still passing thorough the region," Superintendent Clark said.
"We are going to see an increased number of rainfall events over the coming days and we just urge residents to be prepared."
Kate Doyle from the Bureau of Meteorology said lingering moisture from Kirrily had contributed to the heavy downpours.
"We still have that trough extending down from Queensland, which is really dragging that tropical moisture down from the north," she said.
"There is plenty of moisture available when those storms do trigger.
"There is potential for some heavy rainfall again today, most likely around Coonamble and Coonabarabran."