Sydney - Extreme Daily Rainfall for Each Year

This page lists the heaviest rainfalls and wettest days of each year in Sydney, New South Wales Australia. The information answers questions like: When was the last time Sydney got more than 100 millimetres of rain in a single day? What was the heaviest rainfall of 2018?

The list gives the highest daily precipitation for each year in Sydney and the date that it happened. A date with a plus sign beside it means the same amount of rain also fell on at least one other day earlier that year.

These records were observed at Sydney's Observatory Hill Park and go back to 1859. During that time the heaviest downpour measured for a single day was 327.7 millimetres (12.90 inches) on August 6, 1986.

Most rain in one day for recent years in Sydney
Inches Date Milli­metres
3.51 April 02, 2023   89.4
4.52 April 7, 2022 114.8
4.35 March 21, 2021   110.4
3.33 July 27, 2020 84.6
2.96 March 18, 2019 75.2
4.16 November 28, 2018 105.7
3.35 February 08, 2017 85.1
3.72 April 04, 2016 94.5
4.70 April 21, 2015 119.4
2.79 October 15, 2014 70.9
3.75 January 29, 2013 95.3
4.31 March 08, 2012 109.5
3.91 March 20, 2011 99.3
3.05 February 07, 2010 77.5
Highest daily rainfall recorded at Sydney each year
Inches Date Milli­metres
2.88 October 26, 2009 73.2
3.05 February 05, 2008 77.5
4.42 June 09, 2007 112.3
4.22 September 07, 2006 107.2
2.87 March 23, 2005 72.9
4.15 August 18, 2004 105.4
2.67 May 14, 2003 67.8
5.13 February 05, 2002 130.3
4.33 January 31, 2001 110.0
2.37 March 09, 2000 60.2
3.19 January 22, 1999 81.0
6.50 April 11, 1998 165.1
3.02 February 12, 1997 76.7
5.02 August 31, 1996 127.5
2.90 September 25, 1995 73.7
2.39 April 14, 1994 60.7
3.50 September 14, 1993 88.9
7.48 February 09, 1992 190.0
5.93 June 11, 1991 150.6
9.59 February 03, 1990 243.6
3.13 December 05, 1989 79.5
7.52 January 17, 1988 191.0
4.77 October 25, 1987 121.2
12.90 August 06, 1986 327.7
3.20 October 14, 1985 81.3
9.24 November 09, 1984 234.7
4.31 March 17, 1983 109.5
3.22 September 20, 1982 81.8
2.72 October 20, 1981 69.1
2.58 January 03, 1980 65.5
2.71 June 22, 1979 68.8
3.88 March 20, 1978 98.6
4.47 March 04, 1977 113.5
3.03 March 26, 1976 77.0
7.80 March 11, 1975 198.1
3.43 August 27, 1974 87.1
6.65 January 08, 1973 168.9
3.49 January 15, 1972 88.6
5.51 August 22, 1971 140.0
4.96 December 09, 1970 126.0
5.08 November 14, 1969 129.0
2.17 January 14, 1968 55.1
3.75 November 08, 1967 95.3
4.74 November 09, 1966 120.4
2.49 June 23, 1965 63.2
4.01 June 12, 1964 101.9
5.12 August 30, 1963 130.0
4.40 May 13, 1962 111.8
4.85 November 18, 1961 123.2
5.54 October 22, 1960 140.7
5.30 February 19, 1959 134.6
5.84 February 09, 1958 148.3
3.56 March 29, 1957 90.4
7.56 February 10, 1956 192.0
7.41 May 01, 1955 188.2
4.46 February 22, 1954 113.3
4.14 May 02, 1953 105.2
5.01 July 26, 1952 127.3
4.16 August 01, 1951 105.7
4.70 July 24, 1950 119.4
5.75 January 10, 1949 146.1
2.86 May 03, 1948 72.6
2.56 February 26, 1947 65.0
4.05 April 16, 1946 102.9
4.20 April 21, 1945 106.7
1.92 February 19, 1944 48.8
3.30 September 29, 1943 83.8
11.05 March 28, 1942 280.7
1.54 July 11, 1941 39.1
3.33 December 02, 1940 84.6
2.30 August 03, 1939 58.4
5.79 January 31, 1938 147.1
3.39 March 16, 1937 86.1
2.16 February 28, 1936 54.9
2.63 February 10, 1935 66.8
3.35 August 21, 1934 85.1
3.80 May 20, 1933 96.5
3.22 February 16, 1932 81.8
7.80 July 07, 1931 198.1
3.02 January 24, 1930 76.7
3.91 May 10, 1929 99.3
2.39 July 26, 1928 60.7
4.89 April 19, 1927 124.2
4.59 March 25, 1926 116.6
4.84 May 11, 1925 122.9
1.88 March 23, 1924 47.8
2.58 July 08, 1923 65.5
3.74 July 25, 1922 95.0
4.18 July 02, 1921 106.2
4.14 December 10, 1920 105.2
4.48 May 26, 1919 113.8
6.53 January 12, 1918 165.9
3.16 April 11, 1917 80.3
3.42 October 05, 1916 86.9
2.69 April 07, 1915 68.3
3.37 March 21, 1914 85.6
6.52 March 09, 1913 165.6
4.41 March 01, 1912 112.0
7.08 January 13, 1911 179.8
4.75 December 13, 1910 120.7
1.77 February 21, 1909 45.0
5.71 July 28, 1908 145.0
3.62 March 16, 1907 91.9
3.63 August 31, 1906 92.2
3.64 April 02, 1905 92.5
4.77 July 09, 1904 121.2
1.57 August 03, 1903 + 39.9
6.37 October 13, 1902 161.8
4.41 April 28, 1901 112.0
4.23 November 19, 1900 107.4
3.01 November 05, 1899 76.5
6.05 May 06, 1898 153.7
2.73 April 23, 1897 69.3
4.87 June 04, 1896 123.7
2.36 February 08, 1895 59.9
3.10 March 20, 1894 78.7
3.30 March 08, 1893 83.8
4.34 March 20, 1892 110.2
2.95 June 22, 1891 74.9
5.66 March 25, 1890 143.8
8.36 May 28, 1889 212.3
2.75 December 01, 1888 69.9
2.83 May 29, 1887 71.9
4.68 October 15, 1886 118.9
4.85 June 24, 1885 123.2
6.45 April 06, 1884 163.8
4.33 September 28, 1883 110.0
6.48 April 06, 1882 164.6
4.25 October 19, 1881 108.0
2.04 September 16, 1880 51.8
5.69 September 10, 1879 144.5
7.53 February 06, 1878 191.3
4.89 October 05, 1877 124.2
2.81 May 22, 1876 71.4
3.89 May 29, 1875 98.8
3.99 February 23, 1874 101.3
8.90 February 25, 1873 226.1
2.80 January 13, 1872 71.1
3.24 March 18, 1871 82.3
4.03 May 13, 1870 102.4
4.45 March 19, 1869 113.0
6.18 February 17, 1868 157.0
5.65 April 12, 1867 143.5
3.01 July 12, 1866 + 76.5
4.15 November 26, 1865 105.4
3.93 June 12, 1864 99.8
3.75 January 22, 1863 95.3
1.90 December 15, 1862 48.3
6.62 April 03, 1861 168.1
7.52 April 29, 1860 191.0
3.70 July 21, 1859 94.0
Reference

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology. Climate Data Online.

Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 

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