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Biggest storm in years hits Uluru

Uluru was been hit by a severe thunderstorm for the second time this spring, one of the biggest storms this decade in the area.

The storm produced a massive amount of rain and potentially damaging winds.

More than 60mm of rain was dumped by the storm in a little over an hour on Monday afternoon, including 30mm in just 20 minutes. The 63mm recorded adds up to Uluru's highest daily rainfall in more than eight years.

This is unusually heavy rain considering the time of the year, when moisture in the atmosphere is not at its highest. It is so unusual that the Uluru site has not recorded a higher daily total in November 19 years of records.

With such a high rain rate it is no wonder that there were strong winds associated with the storm too. Gusts exceeded 90km/h at the beginning of the storm.

The storm came at the end of another hot day, hotter than 39 degrees for the third day running. This is the hottest start to November in 14 years.

Tuesday will be much cooler, with a maximum close to the early November average of 34.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2009

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