Heidi brings wettest day

Port Hedland experienced its wettest day in almost five years last week due to rain brought on by tropical cyclone Heidi.

Picture by Alex Massey: A road sign on Great Northern Highway barely survived tropical cyclone Heidi last week

On Thursday Port Hedland recorded 108.4mm, the highest amount of rainfall registered locally by the Bureau of Meteorology since 114.2mm fell on March 12, 2007.

Newman recorded 65.2mm on January 10, greater than last year’s highest 24-hour total of 36.8mm.

Marble Bar experienced its eighth wettest day on record with 63.8mm falling on Thursday.

Amateur meteorologist Steve Brooks recorded 369.8mm of rain at his South Hedland weather station on January 12.

Mr Brooks started the Facebook page and website South Hedland Weather to inform residents of weather changes.

“The variances in weather between Port and South Hedland are quite big and quite common,” he said.