Sydney breaks almost 60-year rain record, with more rain to come this week

Sydney residents are bracing for another drenching as an almost 60-year weather record is smashed.

The Harbour City has had more than two metres of rain dumped on it for the first time in close to 60 years – in just eight months. And another 200mm will make it the wettest on record.

Australia's eastern states are now looking down the barrel of another wet week as a third straight La Nina event looms, with heavy rain and thunder expected to come in from the south.

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A trough will also move across South Australia on Sunday, anticipated to collide with a unstable air in the east, bringing storms from Monday.

Large parts of eastern Northern Territory, southwest Queensland, western and southern NSW, northern Victoria, and northern Tasmania look likely to see between 15 and 40mm of rain tomorrow.

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Weatherzone is warning some areas could be in line for about 50 to 80mm.

People are being advised that the patterns observed could turn harsh, with storms showing the potential to generate damaging-to-destructive wind gusts, large hail and torrential rain leading to flash flooding.

Showers and rain will flow through to northern NSW and inland southern Queensland on Tuesday.

Wednesday could see weather settle, but southeast states are warned of a colder than usual week ahead.