Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023

Name: Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023
Start: 2023-05-14
End: 2023-05-17
Location: Australia

Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023: 190 records at 188 stations, peak on 16 May 2023. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-17. Last revised 17 October 2026 (2026-10-17).

Key Facts

Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023 set or tied 190 station records at 188 stations.
It ran from 14 May 2023 to 17 May 2023 (4 days) and its peak day was 16 May 2023.
Status: closed.
Pacific Heights set a daily record precipitation of 154.8 mm (6.1 in) on 15 May 2023.
The busiest day was 16 May 2023 with 166 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 122 years.

Footprint

14 to 17 May 2023

The area covered by Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023 is outlined, with 20 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Pacific Heights	Record daily precipitation	154.8 mm (6.1 in)	2023-05-15
Old Koreelah (McPherson)	Record daily precipitation	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	2023-05-16
Wylie Creek (Aloomba)	Record daily precipitation	56.4 mm (2.2 in)	2023-05-16
Dalveen	Record daily precipitation	73.0 mm (2.9 in)	2023-05-16
Inglewood Post Office	Record daily precipitation	66.4 mm (2.6 in)	2023-05-16
Killarney Post Office	Record daily precipitation	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	2023-05-16
Wondalli	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	2023-05-16
Tenterfield (Federation Park)	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	2023-05-16
Legume (New Koreelah)	Record daily precipitation	47.6 mm (1.9 in)	2023-05-16
Byfield Childs Road	Record daily precipitation	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	2023-05-15
Maryland	Record daily precipitation	73.8 mm (2.9 in)	2023-05-16
Valhalla	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	2023-05-16
Urbenville Old Post Office	Record daily precipitation	55.6 mm (2.2 in)	2023-05-16
Lowood Don St	Record daily precipitation	32.6 mm (1.3 in)	2023-05-16
Mt Alford	Record daily precipitation	51.4 mm (2.0 in)	2023-05-16
Clifton Post Office	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	2023-05-16
Belah Park	Record daily precipitation	54.4 mm (2.1 in)	2023-05-16
Mt Mee	Record daily precipitation	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	2023-05-16
Lauriedale	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	2023-05-16
Tannymorel	Record daily precipitation	50.6 mm (2.0 in)	2023-05-16

Records per Day

Peak day 166

Records set or tied each day from 14 May 2023 to 17 May 2023. The most in one day was 166 on 16 May 2023.

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023 ranked by margin
Pacific Heights, 05-15	103.2 mm (4.1 in)
Byfield Childs Road, 05-15	67.5 mm (2.7 in)
Valhalla, 05-16	56.0 mm (2.2 in)
Maryland, 05-16	50.2 mm (2.0 in)
Urbenville Old Post Office, 05-16	43.6 mm (1.7 in)
Old Koreelah (McPherson), 05-16	39.4 mm (1.6 in)
Wondalli, 05-16	39.2 mm (1.5 in)
Wylie Creek (Aloomba), 05-16	37.6 mm (1.5 in)
Clifton Post Office, 05-16	37.6 mm (1.5 in)
Tannymorel, 05-16	34.2 mm (1.3 in)
Belah Park, 05-16	34.1 mm (1.3 in)
Inglewood Post Office, 05-16	33.4 mm (1.3 in)
Lauriedale, 05-16	32.0 mm (1.3 in)
Dalveen, 05-16	31.1 mm (1.2 in)
Mt Mee, 05-16	29.6 mm (1.2 in)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

190 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.

Margin against age of the broken record in Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023
Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
103	80
39	108
38	108
31	122
33	122
24	108
39	70
25	101
27	97
68	80
50	36
56	40
44	36
22	108
28	108
38	38
34	70
30	96
32	60
34	36
52	36
39	36
32	45
36	36
35	70
42	25
50	36
29	36
34	45
43	36
19	89
45	36
29	36
9	122
31	36
30	45
35	45
23	53
36	36
47	36
43	45
13	58
36	45
13	88
38	45
10	85
33	45
41	25
34	33
28	32
16	32
3	101
6	101
3	122
26	45
1	101
33	25
1	101
25	45
36	33
4	92
10	74
32	36
15	40
25	25
1	92
24	36
44	36
16	45
10	70
11	52
36	20
44	32
28	45
9	70
26	36
30	26
20	45
46	20
21	53
37	33
27	25
2	80
5	80
29	36
25	36
35	26
25	24
33	36
10	68
35	33
40	33
29	32
41	24
15	36
5	70
20	25
3	70
46	33
46	20
27	33
7	53
19	36
25	36
14	36
18	33
31	25
14	45
23	36
4	39
11	40
16	36
18	36
20	25
12	45
25	26
3	68
15	36
14	36
12	45
9	45
15	40
25	33
2	53
24	36
10	36
20	36
20	24
5	40
6	54
11	45
14	33
23	24
21	24
20	33
21	25
19	25
19	24
13	20
22	24
5	36
2	40
8	25
5	45
2	53
5	45
15	36
6	32
13	24
17	24
12	36
20	36
25	32
3	36
3	45
1	40
7	40
3	36
14	32
10	25
2	32
1	36
12	25
2	48
8	25
7	36
6	24
14	24
1	45
2	32
3	8
17	25
14	24
7	26
4	20
6	25
6	33
15	24
1	36
2	25
5	30
6	24
4	32
10	24
21	8
1	33
5	24
7	20
8	0
8	4

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023 compared with similar events
Extreme rain in United States and Mexico, 23 February to 15 March 2019	2,223 records
Extreme rain in United States, 3 to 19 January 2024	2,133 records
Extreme rain in Australia, 7 to 26 March 2021	2,099 records
Extreme rain in United States and Mexico, 29 September to 19 October 2018	1,970 records
Extreme rain in United States, 19 December 2022 to 13 January 2023	1,941 records
Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023 (this event)	190 records

Every Record Set

20 of 190

Every record set or tied during Extreme rain in Australia, 14 to 17 May 2023, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2023-05-15	Pacific Heights	Record daily precipitation	154.8 mm (6.1 in)	103.2 mm (4.1 in)	80	74 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-15	Byfield Childs Road	Record daily precipitation	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	67.5 mm (2.7 in)	80	61 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Old Koreelah (McPherson)	Record daily precipitation	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	108	72 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Wylie Creek (Aloomba)	Record daily precipitation	56.4 mm (2.2 in)	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	108	70 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Dalveen	Record daily precipitation	73.0 mm (2.9 in)	31.1 mm (1.2 in)	122	68 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Inglewood Post Office	Record daily precipitation	66.4 mm (2.6 in)	33.4 mm (1.3 in)	122	66 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Killarney Post Office	Record daily precipitation	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	24.3 mm (1.0 in)	108	65 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Wondalli	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	39.2 mm (1.5 in)	70	64 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Tenterfield (Federation Park)	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	24.7 mm (1.0 in)	101	64 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Legume (New Koreelah)	Record daily precipitation	47.6 mm (1.9 in)	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	97	63 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Maryland	Record daily precipitation	73.8 mm (2.9 in)	50.2 mm (2.0 in)	36	60 of 100 (Major)
2023-05-16	Valhalla	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	56.0 mm (2.2 in)	40	58 of 100 (Notable)
2023-05-16	Urbenville Old Post Office	Record daily precipitation	55.6 mm (2.2 in)	43.6 mm (1.7 in)	36	58 of 100 (Notable)
2023-05-16	Lowood Don St	Record daily precipitation	32.6 mm (1.3 in)	22.4 mm (0.9 in)	108	57 of 100 (Notable)
2023-05-16	Mt Alford	Record daily precipitation	51.4 mm (2.0 in)	27.8 mm (1.1 in)	108	57 of 100 (Notable)
2023-05-16	Clifton Post Office	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	38	57 of 100 (Notable)
2023-05-16	Belah Park	Record daily precipitation	54.4 mm (2.1 in)	34.1 mm (1.3 in)	70	56 of 100 (Notable)
2023-05-16	Mt Mee	Record daily precipitation	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	96	54 of 100 (Notable)
2023-05-16	Lauriedale	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	60	54 of 100 (Notable)
2023-05-16	Tannymorel	Record daily precipitation	50.6 mm (2.0 in)	34.2 mm (1.3 in)	36	54 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 190 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Related Headlines

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Download the Data

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
103	80
39	108
38	108
31	122
33	122
24	108
39	70
25	101
27	97
68	80
50	36
56	40
44	36
22	108
28	108
38	38
34	70
30	96
32	60
34	36
52	36
39	36
32	45
36	36
35	70
42	25
50	36
29	36
34	45
43	36
19	89
45	36
29	36
9	122
31	36
30	45
35	45
23	53
36	36
47	36
43	45
13	58
36	45
13	88
38	45
10	85
33	45
41	25
34	33
28	32
16	32
3	101
6	101
3	122
26	45
1	101
33	25
1	101
25	45
36	33
4	92
10	74
32	36
15	40
25	25
1	92
24	36
44	36
16	45
10	70
11	52
36	20
44	32
28	45
9	70
26	36
30	26
20	45
46	20
21	53
37	33
27	25
2	80
5	80
29	36
25	36
35	26
25	24
33	36
10	68
35	33
40	33
29	32
41	24
15	36
5	70
20	25
3	70
46	33
46	20
27	33
7	53
19	36
25	36
14	36
18	33
31	25
14	45
23	36
4	39
11	40
16	36
18	36
20	25
12	45
25	26
3	68
15	36
14	36
12	45
9	45
15	40
25	33
2	53
24	36
10	36
20	36
20	24
5	40
6	54
11	45
14	33
23	24
21	24
20	33
21	25
19	25
19	24
13	20
22	24
5	36
2	40
8	25
5	45
2	53
5	45
15	36
6	32
13	24
17	24
12	36
20	36
25	32
3	36
3	45
1	40
7	40
3	36
14	32
10	25
2	32
1	36
12	25
2	48
8	25
7	36
6	24
14	24
1	45
2	32
3	8
17	25
14	24
7	26
4	20
6	25
6	33
15	24
1	36
2	25
5	30
6	24
4	32
10	24
21	8
1	33
5	24
7	20
8	0
8	4

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
103	80
39	108
38	108
31	122
33	122
24	108
39	70
25	101
27	97
68	80
50	36
56	40
44	36
22	108
28	108
38	38
34	70
30	96
32	60
34	36
52	36
39	36
32	45
36	36
35	70
42	25
50	36
29	36
34	45
43	36
19	89
45	36
29	36
9	122
31	36
30	45
35	45
23	53
36	36
47	36
43	45
13	58
36	45
13	88
38	45
10	85
33	45
41	25
34	33
28	32
16	32
3	101
6	101
3	122
26	45
1	101
33	25
1	101
25	45
36	33
4	92
10	74
32	36
15	40
25	25
1	92
24	36
44	36
16	45
10	70
11	52
36	20
44	32
28	45
9	70
26	36
30	26
20	45
46	20
21	53
37	33
27	25
2	80
5	80
29	36
25	36
35	26
25	24
33	36
10	68
35	33
40	33
29	32
41	24
15	36
5	70
20	25
3	70
46	33
46	20
27	33
7	53
19	36
25	36
14	36
18	33
31	25
14	45
23	36
4	39
11	40
16	36
18	36
20	25
12	45
25	26
3	68
15	36
14	36
12	45
9	45
15	40
25	33
2	53
24	36
10	36
20	36
20	24
5	40
6	54
11	45
14	33
23	24
21	24
20	33
21	25
19	25
19	24
13	20
22	24
5	36
2	40
8	25
5	45
2	53
5	45
15	36
6	32
13	24
17	24
12	36
20	36
25	32
3	36
3	45
1	40
7	40
3	36
14	32
10	25
2	32
1	36
12	25
2	48
8	25
7	36
6	24
14	24
1	45
2	32
3	8
17	25
14	24
7	26
4	20
6	25
6	33
15	24
1	36
2	25
5	30
6	24
4	32
10	24
21	8
1	33
5	24
7	20
8	0
8	4

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
103	80
39	108
38	108
31	122
33	122
24	108
39	70
25	101
27	97
68	80
50	36
56	40
44	36
22	108
28	108
38	38
34	70
30	96
32	60
34	36
52	36
39	36
32	45
36	36
35	70
42	25
50	36
29	36
34	45
43	36
19	89
45	36
29	36
9	122
31	36
30	45
35	45
23	53
36	36
47	36
43	45
13	58
36	45
13	88
38	45
10	85
33	45
41	25
34	33
28	32
16	32
3	101
6	101
3	122
26	45
1	101
33	25
1	101
25	45
36	33
4	92
10	74
32	36
15	40
25	25
1	92
24	36
44	36
16	45
10	70
11	52
36	20
44	32
28	45
9	70
26	36
30	26
20	45
46	20
21	53
37	33
27	25
2	80
5	80
29	36
25	36
35	26
25	24
33	36
10	68
35	33
40	33
29	32
41	24
15	36
5	70
20	25
3	70
46	33
46	20
27	33
7	53
19	36
25	36
14	36
18	33
31	25
14	45
23	36
4	39
11	40
16	36
18	36
20	25
12	45
25	26
3	68
15	36
14	36
12	45
9	45
15	40
25	33
2	53
24	36
10	36
20	36
20	24
5	40
6	54
11	45
14	33
23	24
21	24
20	33
21	25
19	25
19	24
13	20
22	24
5	36
2	40
8	25
5	45
2	53
5	45
15	36
6	32
13	24
17	24
12	36
20	36
25	32
3	36
3	45
1	40
7	40
3	36
14	32
10	25
2	32
1	36
12	25
2	48
8	25
7	36
6	24
14	24
1	45
2	32
3	8
17	25
14	24
7	26
4	20
6	25
6	33
15	24
1	36
2	25
5	30
6	24
4	32
10	24
21	8
1	33
5	24
7	20
8	0
8	4