Australia Heaviest rain in 30 years puts out bushfires

News this morning is that all of the fires in my state, NSW, are either officially out or at least contained. Nuisance flooding has been occurring around Sydney as the rivers filled with storm water and some drains were blocked with plant material and other debris. Up and down the coast there have been some evacuations but this rain is exactly what we needed to end a long drought. Dams are filling up and the soil has had a good soaking. Pastures and wilderness alike are being replenished with new growth.

Thank you, Huey!

Huey is the Australian 'deity' responsible for rain, and sometimes good surf conditions. When it looks like rain Aussies look heavenwards and exclaim "Send it down, Huey". Huey doesn't always oblige, but when he does he can sometimes overdo it a bit.
 
Last edited:
I am relieved to hear this but the extremes can be as devastating. So Huey is merciful at this time. Where does Huey originate from? Is it rain god? Well Im pleased that Huey has been merciful and hope tgat the states affected in Australi will get back to some semblance of normality.
 
Those rains destroy all of the top soil meaning while nothing is left to burn a second time there is nothing in terms of trees and brush to reduce the movement of rainfall flooding. Living in Houston where hurricanes do some flooding as well we a have a system for drainage. I wonder how Australia is set up.
 
Those rains destroy all of the top soil meaning while nothing is left to burn a second time there is nothing in terms of trees and brush to reduce the movement of rainfall flooding. Living in Houston where hurricanes do some flooding as well we a have a system for drainage. I wonder how Australia is set up.
And mudslides
 
After all the Australian fires the past few months, the next issue will probably be rain induced mudslides. There are numerous reports of excessive amounts of rainfall, all over the planet, in recent weeks, and if Australian weather experiences much rain, floods and mudslides, etc., will probably dominate that nations news in coming months. Indonesia is already facing major flood problems, so far, this year.
 
I've read the extremes are the conundrum of global warming, it brings extremes of both sides. Heat and cold, drought and floods, stronger and more violent storms. It will be the new normal. I agree with @fmdog44 the fire got rid of the trees and vegetation and now the floods carry away that topsoil. Glad the fires are gone or contained, though. Hurrah!
 
Mother Nature did in one day what humans could not do for months. Just goes to show maybe if we took better care of her gift to us she would not have to bail us out so often.
 
Those rains destroy all of the top soil meaning while nothing is left to burn a second time there is nothing in terms of trees and brush to reduce the movement of rainfall flooding. Living in Houston where hurricanes do some flooding as well we a have a system for drainage. I wonder how Australia is set up.
Drought turns the topsoil to dust and wind then removes it and drops it somewhere else, often at sea. What is left does tend to get washed away when the rains finally come. Australian soils are quite thin and very old. They are characteristically low in nutriments because we have no young mountain chains left to supply new mineral matter by way of weathering and erosion. Our native plants are adapted to low nutrient and dry conditions but farmers must do a lot of work to enrich their soils and limit erosion by wind and water.
 
The current estimate on animals deaths is one billion with a "b". One resident stated he saw deers on fire running from the flames. Food sources for the wildlife now are largely depleted.
 


Back
Top