Soaking up rain across state

TASMANIA’S dry East Coast has finally received a decent soaking while other parts of the state are on flood watch after consistent heavy rain and severe thunderstorms.

The heavy rain saw several outdoor events cancelled yesterday, including the Devonport Motor Show which was expected to attract 10,000 people. Others, such as the Justice for Refugees rally, moved inside.

Organisers of the Taste of the World festival at Moonah pushed on with a revised schedule and were rewarded with a reasonable crowd despite the changeable conditions.

The Bureau of Meteorology said a cold front including a rainband and thunderstorms moved over the state yesterday morning. A complex low will approach from the southwest today and bring more rain.

Some of the highest 24hour rainfall totals recorded up to 9am yesterday were 55mm at Northdown, 43mm at Poatina, 40mm at Devonport and 32mm in Launceston.

St Helen’s, on the East Coast, received 24mm between 9am and 2pm yesterday with 22m also being recorded at Scotsdale in the northeast.

The complex low is expected to pass to the south of the state today bringing gusty south-westerly winds.

Average wind speeds of 60km/h and wind gusts up to 100km/h are possible in western, southern and central areas, and through the Bass Strait islands.

Wind speeds are expected to ease later in the afternoon.

An extra 25-50mm of rain is expected to fall in the west with 10-20mm in central areas.

Conditions on the East Coast have been so dry the first season of a new irrigation scheme has stalled because Melrose Dam was almost empty.

Places such as Cranbrook received only half their average annual rainfall last year and have only seen about 35mm fall since the start of 2018.

Minor flooding is possible in the Flood Watch area — across Tasmania’s north — and heavy rainfall may lead to localised flooding.

Hobart is forecast to receive more showers today and throughout the week before the city wakes to a sunny 20C on Saturday.