The passage of a frontal system during October 9 and 10 brought little or no rain to North East Victoria and the Riverina.
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However, further north, a wave low formed on this front, resulting in variable rainfalls, with some thunderstorms and large hail, which did some damage to property.
This rain lasted for nearly three days at most places in northern NSW and southern inland Queensland.
The heaviest falls being 72mm at Coonabarabran and 35mm at Dubbo, and in Queensland, Birdsville had 30mm, Mitchell 32mm and Miles 32mm. Heavier falls were recorded along the NSW Coast, where Evans Head recorded 138mm - the heaviest October rains since 2010.
At Miles, the 32mm took the October rainfall to the above average total of 64mm. This was certainly much-needed rainfall at Miles, as this town has been in drought since February 2015. Miles has not had a wetter than average year since 2011 and this rainfall situation has been the same at Mt. Morgan and Taroom further north towards Emerald.
A high pressure system during the past two days took up position well south of Tasmania - much further south of normal for this time of year. A cut-off low pressure has formed in the Bight region. On its forward edge, a curved frontal system has crossed Western Victoria during the evening of October 13, with isolated thunderstorms but, to date, rainfalls had been light up to 10pm Wednesday evening.
Earlier in South Australia, the rainfalls were only about 5mm. This cut-off low pressure by Thursday morning had moved toward the Eyre Peninsula and has weakened but will pass inland. Moderate to heavy falls of 15 to 25mm were recorded in Western and Central Victoria by 9am Thursday morning but only 5 to 10mm in North East Victoria.
Very high temperatures for October of 43.7 degrees at Wyndham and 43.5 at Marble Bar on October 5 were new record highs for early October in over 115 years.
This is not expected to lead to any significant hot days in North East Victoria before next summer.
The record-long heatwave at Marble Bar was from October 1923 to April 1924. Here in Victoria, it was a very wet, cool summer.
Maximum temperatures in North East Victoria for the first 14 days this month at Wangaratta have been two degrees below normal and the highest temperature was only 24 degrees.
The area of below normal sea surface temperatures in ocean waters south of Western Australia and in the Bight region has increased in size the past week.
This indicates the highest temperature may not get above 28 degrees during this month and dominated by unsettled conditions for the rest of this month.
No significant hot days also for November before mid-month, with rain and thunderstorms for the first fortnight and some flooding as well.
