Cessnock has received almost 130mm of rain since 9am Thursday, bringing much-needed relief to local farmers and firefighters.
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The Cessnock Airport weather station recorded 42.2mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 9am Friday, followed by 26.4 on Saturday morning and 59mm on Sunday.
Small showers on February 3 and 6 brought the monthly total so far to 133.2mm in just nine days.
Add to this the 43.8mm that fell in January, and 177mm has fallen this year - almost half of the annual total for 2019 (384.4mm - the driest year on record at the Cessnock Airport station, which has figures dating back to 1968).
Heavy rain is expected to continue throughout Sunday afternoon, easing overnight, followed by possible thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday. Possible showers are predicted for the rest of the week.
The NSW SES is currently experiencing a high volume of calls for assistance and urge residents to prepare their homes for storm events by:
* Moving vehicles under cover or away from trees.
* Securing or putting away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
* Keeping at least eight metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
* Trees that have been damaged by fire are likely to be more unstable and more likely to fall.
* Report fallen power lines to either Ausgrid (131 388), Endeavour Energy (131 003), Essential Energy (132 080) or Evoenergy (131 093) as shown on your power bill.
* Don't drive, ride or walk through flood water.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place.
* Be aware that run-off from rainfall in fire affected areas may behave differently and be more rapid. It may also contain debris such as ash, soil, trees and rocks.
* After bushfires, heavy rain and the loss of foliage can make the ground soft and heavy, leading to a greater chance of landslides.
* Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.
- For emergency help in floods and storms, call the NSW SES on 132 500, or if your life is in danger, call Triple-Zero (000).