Sydney Floods: More rainfall in four days than London gets in a year - BBC

The BBC puts Sydney's rainfall totals in context.

The rain event smashing NSW is so large it has been described as "hard to fathom". But one statistic puts the scale in terms that are easier to understand, albeit mind-blowing.

The BBC's weather team put together a simple graphic that aired to audiences on Monday.

It showed that between Friday last week and Monday Sydney had been smashed by 733mm of rain.

In contrast, London - perceived as a rainy city - records just 615mm annually.

The graphic was shared by Nine News Europe Correspondent Brett McLeod who wrote: "BBC weather putting Sydney's downpour into context. More rain there in 4 days than London gets in a year."

BBC weather putting Sydney’s downpour into context.
More rain there in 4 days than London gets in a year. pic.twitter.com/FDkBCYGlK7

— Brett Mcleod (@Brett_McLeod) July 4, 2022

It comes as the East Coast Low, which has caused all the weather drama in NSW, is finally moving away, taking much of the rain with it.

But in exceedingly unwelcome news, forecasters have said another low is brewing and that could bring yet more heavy rain on the weekend to exactly the same areas that are already flooded.

A month's worth of rain could drench NSW in the coming week. But that's actually less than what fell over the last few days, showing just want a mammoth rain event Sydney and the surrounding areas have been through.

The current system may be moving away but it's leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and further flooding fears.

There are around 70 evacuation orders in place for about 40 suburbs in and near Sydney and nine evacuation centres have been set up for the at-least 30,000 people who cannot remain in their homes. Meanwhile, scores of roads and railway lines have been flooded.