Australia facing ‘prolonged’ wet weather as three separate rain bands and storms hit

The weather bureau is expecting a wetter then normal winter and spring across parts of eastern Australia, Western Australia and South Australia, in addition to higher than normal temperatures. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Australia is set for more wet weather in the coming days with three separate rain bands forecast to end the recent south-east cold snap.

Angus Hines, senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said it would be a “showery weekend” across the entire east coast of New South Wales and Queensland.