Page:Hunt - The climate and weather of Australia - 1913.djvu/112

Rh lost their extraordinary character, but falls of over 1 inch were still the rule in all except the plains or country of relatively low level stretching from Echuca to Wodonga, and including Benalla, while in the more mountainous country the falls were generally between 1 and 2 inches. In Gippsland, owing to the mountain barrier to the north and west, the rainfall was generally insignificant, and actually nil around and east of the Lakes. The heaviest totals, above 4 inches, were received along a narrow strip of high country following the crest of the Dividing Range westward from Kyneton, and probably including the Pyrenees.

A brief summary of the heights reached in the various tributaries affected is appended:—

(2)

The disastrous flood in the Upper Darling tributaries, consequent on the abnormally heavy rains on the north—western plains and slopes of New South Wales, as well as those on the Darling Downs of Queensland, is, from a meteorological stand-point, one of the most interesting events during 1910. These exceptionally heavy, continuous rains were caused by the joint action of an anti-cyclonic area over the southern half and the monsoonal depression operating in the northern half of the continent. The movements and subsequent development in intensity of this monsoonal tongue were meteorologically interesting. It was first truly delineated on the 7th January, as far south as Wilcannia, but on the 8th it had retreated to the south-west corner of Queensland. On the 10th, it protruded as far south and east as Albury, but withdrew the next day to the Queensland border, without, however, making any easterly progress. The high pressure had now intensified, though there had actually been a divergence of the isobars, due, no doubt, to the vapour-laden condition of the atmosphere. Within the next few days the tongue had expanded considerably, stretching as far south as Deniliquin, and on the 15th had intensified to such an extent as to form what is technically known as a closed curve depression. It was during this period that the heaviest falls were recorded. The Namoi Basin experienced particularly heavy falls on the 14th and 15th, and the average total rainfall for fifteen stations in that area from the 11th to the 15th inclusive was 8.63 inches, several places recording more than 12 inches of rain for that period. Copious falls occurred in the catchment area of the Condamine River, in Queensland, the average total for 26 stations from the 10th to the 17th inclusive being 4.71 inches. Cambooya and Dalby, both in this area, registered 10.17 and 9.68 respectively. The MacIntyre Basin was also unusually favoured, the average total for six stations, from the 10th to the 17th, being 7.13