From the Upper Hunter to Lake Macquarie, longstanding rainfall records were swept away as the region experienced one of its wettest weeks in history.
Unlike the intense but short-lived 2007 Pasha Bulker storm and the 2015 April Superstorm, the latest deluge was spread out over more than a week. The Hunter's highest daily rainfall during the past week was recorded at Nelson Bay on Friday, March 19, when 202.5 millimetres fell.
While it didn't break the March 26, 1946, record of 217.7 millimetres, the town did smash its 107-year rainfall record, with 457 millimetres falling in the three days to last Saturday morning.
Gloucester, which has an average monthly rainfall of 129 millimetres, recorded 606.2 millimetres of rain for the month up to Wednesday afternoon. Of that, 544 millimetres fell between last Wednesday and Tuesday.
The Newcastle Herald reported that water levels in parts of the town rose 450mm in 12 minutes last Friday evening. Minor flood warnings were still in place for the Manning And Gloucester Rivers on Wednesday afternoon.
At the other end of the Hunter's coastline a new daily rainfall record for March was set at Blacksmiths. The Bureau of Meteorology registered 187 millimetres last Friday, surpassing the old record of 173 millimetres that was recorded in 2013.
While most of the heaviest falls fell near the coast the new rainfall records were set in several inland locations. A new daily March record was set at Cessnock Airport when 86.8 millimetres fell last Saturday. Similarly, a new record was set at the Singleton Army Base on the same day when 65.2 millimetres fell.
The record rainfall also reached the furthest parts of the Hunter Valley. Less than two years ago Murrurundi's residents were relying on water tankers to provide their drinking water. On Sunday, the town's Haydon Street weather station recorded a new March daily rainfall record of 46.6 millimetres.
While the rain eased considerably on Tuesday, many of the region's rivers continued to rise on Wednesday. Residents in low-lying areas around Singleton were advised to prepare for evacuation with flood levels expected to reach 11.8 metres on Wednesday night. Major flooding was also reported at the Wollombi Brook at Bulga. The waterway registered 6.21 metres on Wednesday morning after peaking on Tuesday.
Elsewhere in the Hunter, a helicopter was used to drop food and supplies to isolated properties at Putty, 80km southwest of Singleton. The Hunter River was also causing minor flooding at Maitland. It was expected to peak at 7.36 metres on Wednesday evening.
Newcastle Airport's runway reopened on Wednesday afternoon.
