Sydney has experienced its wettest August in nearly a decade, characterised by a deluge of rain that has resulted in only one dry day thus far. Within the first ten days of the month, the city has already surpassed its average rainfall, accumulating 98mm by Friday. This record sets a new benchmark for the wettest August since 2016 and marks the 11th wettest start to the month in the last 168 years, according to Weatherzone.
The heavy rains have affected local events, notably impacting the City2Surf marathon, which saw approximately 90,000 participants brave the elements. This year’s race marked the first wet conditions since 2012, with runners encountering significant rainfall during the 14km journey from the CBD to Bondi Beach, accumulating 20-30mm of rain overnight before the race commenced.
Forecasts indicate that additional rainfall is anticipated later today, with isolated showers expected to continue across the coastal areas, particularly toward Illawarra. Despite the significant rainfall already recorded, Sydney is set to endure more wet weather tomorrow and into Tuesday.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) predicts light rain for the next couple of days, forecasting an additional 7mm tomorrow and another 2mm the following day. There is a possibility of ongoing showers into Wednesday, but the BoM anticipates a clearing trend by Thursday. As a high-pressure ridge over eastern New South Wales begins to weaken, the region may finally see some relief as it heads towards spring.
Conversely, Melbourne, which is expected to enjoy sunny conditions tomorrow, will also face light rain on Tuesday and into the following weekend.