Above: National rainfall for the week ended 9am today shows the heaviest, most widespread rain in WA since late February 2001. BoM

Minimum (above) and maximum (below) temperature departures from normal today. BoM

WA records most widespread rain in 3 years

While Tropical Cyclone Ken only barely achieved cyclone status, it gave WA the state's most widespread heavy rain since late February 2001. Virtually every part of WA recorded rain in the week to 9am today, a rare feat as the systems that produce rain in the north are seldom active at the same time as those that produce rain in the south. Highest totals for the week were in the Kimberley where Kuri Bay topscored with 248.3 followed by Doongan on 190.4. Significant falls elsewhere included Cardabia 80, Gascoyne Junction 67.5 and Yaringa Station 62 in the West Gascoyne; Munarra 68.2 in the East Gascoyne; Mt Barker 58.4 on the South Coast; Desert Fringe 67 and Wattle Dale 66.8 in the Central Wheat Belt; Koolyanobbing 64.4 and Southern Cross 58.2 in the Goldfields; and Balgo Hills 95.4 in the NE Interior. Most of the heavy rain away from the Kimberley fell from thunderstorms, with several areas, notably the Pilbara, Central West and Perth Metro areas, receiving little or nothing.

The storms continued in the 24 hours to 9am today, giving some torrential downpours in the Gascoyne and NE Interior. Balgo Hills recorded 75.4, Dairy Creek 51.6 and Dalgety Downs 50.0. The ABC reported that Murchison Downs in the West Gascoyne recorded 72mm in a storm around 2am. The storm gave Meekatharra Airport 23mm and a wind gust of 95km/h.

Mixed bag of weather in eastern state as cold airmass replaces hot

The most significant airmass change in over a month continued to move through SE Australia today producing a wild mixture of weather events. The temperature differences across the cold front were extreme, Gosford's maximum of 41.2 (13.8 above normal) for example contrasting with 24.0 (-7.4) at Wagga 400km away. A strong jet stream accompanied the sharp temperature gradient which, together with a trough preceding the cold front, brought rain and thunderstorms, some severe. In TAS, VIC and southern NSW and SA the day was unusually cold and windy, with many locations reporting wind gusts to storm force.

Heat: The hottest places relative to normal were on the NSW coast from Sydney north. Gosford's 41.2, at 13.8 above normal, was the greatest variation, while Grafton recorded 43.7 (+13.7) and Riverview in Sydney 39.1 (+12.7). Windorah and Quilpie QLD, and Grafton, Walgett and Collarenebri NSW all recorded tops of over 44. Minimum temperatures this morning were again 8 to 12 above average in a band through northern NSW and southern QLD into Central Australia, with 33.6 at Cunnamulla QLD the highest, and 31.0 (+12.3) at Gunnedah NSW the greatest departure from normal.

The prolonged heatwave in southern QLD has seen record electricity consumption as air conditioners are turned up to full blast. Powerlink's usage peaked at 7,400 megawatts mid-afternoon yesterday, 270 megawatts up on the previous record. That record was broken today, with a peak consumption of 7689 megawatts at 3.30pm. The Queensland Ambulance Service attended 22 cases of heat stress in Brisbane during the day. In western QLD, the heat has taken a toll on stock, pastures and kangaroo joeys. The Queensland Department of Primary Industries warned that intense heat was causing a huge reduction in feed intake by stock, as well as lowering the quality of pasture. Many kangaroos have been observed abandonning their joeys. Queensland Parks and Wildlife officer Steven Gear told AAP female kangaroos left their young to fend for themselves when food and water became too scarce.

Cold: The large blue area in the lowest map shows the area that recorded maximum temperatures 8 to 12 below average. An area around the SA/VIC border failed to make 20°, with Casterton reaching a top of only 17.7 (-9.4) and Keith 19.5 (-10.3).

Severe thunderstorms: The strong temperature gradient and resultant jet stream caused ideal conditions for the development of severe thunderstorms which produced little rain but a lot of wind and lightning. The SES responded to 165 calls to assist with wind damage in the Hunter and Mid North Coast.

In the Hunter Valley, a violent storm swept ESE down the valley between 3 and 5pm, unroofing several houses. Worst hit was the Mount Pleasant area, 20km north of Singleton. The historic Roselands Uniting Church was destroyed, the public school library lost its roof and framing while a house in the settlement lost its roof and several others suffered roof damage. The wind was sufficiently strong to blow in two rollerdoors of a Besser block garage, then blow out the side walls. Trees believed to be at least 200 years old were blown down by the wind. The Hunter SES received 70 calls for assistance, 58 from the Singleton and Muswellbrook areas. Wind gusted to 117km/h at Scone Airport and 122km/h at the Tocal Ag College south of Paterson. Three people were struck by lightning -- at Williamtown, Hawks Nest and Muswellbrook -- but survived. 12,000 homes were left without power for up to an hour after the storm. 12,000 homes between Maitland and Nelson Bay were blacked out.

Farther north, late afternoon storms rampaged through an area bounded by Manilla, Armidale and Inverell. Two homes at Manilla were unroofed, and 5 seriously damaged. A house at Bingara was unroofed. At Kings Gap, northeast of Bundarra, wind ripped the roofs off a house, shearing shed and machinery shed at the one property. On Clerks Creek Road, between Bundarra and Glen Innes, a recently built machinery shed was destroyed at Outer Clerkness and a Toyota Landcruiser parked in a paddock rolled over by the wind. Widespread tree damage was reported around Bundarra. In Armidale, the Council works depot had its roof peeled back and CBD businesses had to close early when power was lost. On the Mid North Coast, evening storms caused extensive damage to numerous homes and buildings in the Nambucca area, with 19 SES callouts and up to a dozen badly damaged properties. Powerlines and many trees were brought down in Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Telegraph Point, Roland Plains and Nambucca Heads, and there were widespread blackouts lasting up to 5 hours. A Country Energy spokeswoman said that up to 10,000 properties were thought to have lost power, with some still not restored the next day. Little rain was recorded in most of the storms, with a report of an impressive dust cloud preceding the storm at Attunga, 20km NW of Tamworth. However, Kings Plains, 25km WNW of Glen Innes, recorded 48mm for the 24 hours to 9am Thursday.

Bushfires continue in NSW, TAS

In NSW, 300 firefighters continued to contain a fire in the Goonoo State Forest NE of Dubbo which has burnt through 1,800ha.

In TAS, the Fortescue Bay fire on the Tasman Peninsula continued to burn out of control in difficult country. 80 campers were evacuated from a camping area on the bay, 3km from the fire front.

News sources: ABC, Sunshine Coast Daily, AAP, Border Mail (Albury), Daily Telegraph, Singleton Argus, Inverell Times, Northern Daily Leader (Tamworth)