A 3000-kilometre rain band is forecast to engulf Australia next week, stretching from the Pilbara and Kimberly, across the outback and to the eastern seaboard, bringing with it soaking rains.
The upcoming drenching follows a week of above-average rain and below-average temperatures in the southern states.
Rain fell across the entirety of the southeast in the 48 hours to the weekend, including 48mm that landed on Adelaide, 100mm on the Mount Lofty Ranges and 28mm on Narrabri.
It has made for the wettest start to winter in decades for some towns in the Murray Basin, including Shepparton, where the monthly rainfall total exceeded 100mm for the first time in a winter calendar month since 1991.
But meteorologists say the wet weather is far from over.
Showers are forecast to continue along Australia’s southern coastline and ranges through the weekend, before yet another soaking arrives next week.
From Monday, a huge northwest cloud band is expected to form over the centre of the country, touching every state and territory.
The mammoth cloud is forecast to begin in WA before gradually shifting across Central Australia early in the week and reaching the southeast from Wednesday.
Its movement is less certain from Thursday, though rain is expected to continue through much of the country’s interior.
The rain band is forecast to deliver anywhere from 10 to 100mm across the northwest, central and southeast.
In the outback, the expected falls will easily surpass the winter season average in just a few days.
BOM meteorologist Angus Hines said the rain “should be fairly widespread across northern parts of WA, southern parts of the NT and SA”.
“Towards the end of next week it could move into parts of Queensland and NSW,” he said.
“There could be a notable area of rainfall for parts of the country that are typically dry this time of year.”
Snow is expected in the alpine regions of the southeast, where healthy falls and even a blizzard are on the cards.
Lighter snowfalls are expected on Saturday and Sunday, with Monday’s larger system bringing in as much as 80 centimetres of snow, according to Sky meteorologist Bradlyn Oakes.
The past week’s snowfall, with more on the way, made for “perfect conditions if you like winter sports”, Ms Oakes said.
Of the capital cities, Perth will shoulder the rain for the next few days before showers are forecast to clear on Monday. Mornings in the city will stay crisp, with minimum temperatures forecast at between 4 and 7C, warming up to the mid-teens.
The rain is expected to arrive in Melbourne from Sunday, with showers forecast every day to the end of next week. Minimum temperatures are expected to sit at between 7 and 11C, warming up to between 12 and 16C.
The rain should migrate to Hobart from Monday, where it is forecast to stick around for the rest of next week. Showers are forecast every day, with minimum temperatures of as low as 5C.
Rain is also on the cards for Adelaide, with showers forecast every day. Minimum temperatures are expected to hover between 7 and 11C, with maximums of up to 16C.
A smattering of rain is expected on several days in Canberra, where temperatures are forecast to plunge as low as -2C on Thursday. Morning frost is expected to return from mid next week, with minimum temperatures not set to break 3C.
Sydney is expected to escape most of the downpour, with a sunny forecast most days next week save Wednesday. Minimum temperatures are forecast to sit at between 8 and 10C, warming up to between 16 and 19C.
Brisbane, too, will stay dry with sun or light cloud cover forecast each day until late next week. Sunday’s maximum temperature is expected to climb as high as 27C — higher than the city’s long-term average for June — while next week’s should reach more seasonal levels of between 21 and 26C.
Darwin is set to be warm with a few clouds in the sky and minimum temperatures of between 22 and 23C. The maximum temperature is forecast to reach a balmy 32C each day.