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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Petra Stock

It never rains or it pours: Australia suffers two weather extremes in May

Aerial view of houses surrounded by brown flood waters.
Flooding in Maitland, New South Wales, on 23 May 2025. Victoria and South Australia saw continued below-average rainfall during the same period. Photograph: Renee Moore/AAP

Australia saw a tale of two weather extremes last month, with extremely dry conditions continuing across southern parts of the country as parts of eastern New South Wales recorded the wettest May on record.

The low pressure trough that developed off the coast of NSW on 18 May and lingered for days, led to record high rainfall in numerous locations throughout the Hunter and mid-north coast.

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