Heavy rain on Thursday and Friday has led to more rain being recorded in Orange so far this year compared to the area's total rainfall for the entirety of 2019.
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From 1.30pm on Wednesday to 3.30pm on Thursday, there was 71.8 millimetres of rain recorded at Orange Airport according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Comparatively, just 0.2 millimetres of rain was recorded at the airport for the entire month of April last year.
With rain continuing to fall later into the afternoon, the 3.30pm reading brought the total rainfall for Orange in 2020 up to 483 millimetres.
In 2019 the Bureau of Meteorology recorded a total of 479.6 millimetres.
The higher reading was influenced by January and March both recording more than 130 millimetres of rain and by 3.30pm on Thursday, 159.6 millimetres had been recorded for April.
The 2019 calendar year was incredibly dry, with not a single month eclipsing the 100 millimetre barrier, while the months of September, October, November and December recorded a total of 117.8mm.
So far, three of the four months to start 2020 have smashed the 100 millimetre mark.
The rain was predicted to fall across the region from Wednesday afternoon until Thursday morning ahead of a cold front that is expected for Friday.
Friday is predicted to be windy with showers and temperatures are predicted to range from a low of 1 degree to a maximum of 3 degrees and possible snow is also predicted for Mount Canobolas.
The cool change will continue over the weekend with the temperature predicted to range from 1 degree to 5 degrees on Saturday and 1 degree to 8 degrees on Sunday.
The city is predicted to reach double figures again on Monday with the temperature estimated to be from 0 to 11 degrees.
Monthly rainfall compared, first four months of 2019 and 2020:
- January: 2020 132.8mm; 2019: 61.6mm
- February: 2020 60mm; 2019: 62.2mm
- March: 2020 131.2mm; 2019: 54.8mm
- April: 2020 159.6mm; 2019: 02.mm
Overnight on Wednesday, Orange received the most rain among Central West towns and 56.6 milimetres had been recorded by 7.30am.
This year's rainfall also led dam levels to start to rise this year with the combined storage of Suma Park and Spring Creek Dams at 22.49 per cent.
As of April 24, Lake Canobolas had the highest percentage level with 43.54 per cent.
Level 5 water restrictions remain for Orange with an announcement about level 6 restrictions expected to be made next week.
The target water usage under the current restrictions is 160 litres per person per day and current usage stands as of April 23 was 124 litres per person.
Heavy rain also fell overnight in Cowra with 46.6 millimetres recorded, while in Parkes 40.8 millimetres was recorded by 7.30am on Thursday.
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Tanya Marschke
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
