CANBERRA will experience one of the biggest rain events in recent history according to The Weather Channel.

“The drenching will start today over Victoria, South Australia and southern New South Wales,” senior meteorologist Tom Saunders said.

“Thunderstorms will drop up to 100mm of rain, enough to cause severe flash flooding, particularly in urban regions like Melbourne where drainage systems struggle to cope with intense rainfall. River flooding is also likely and a flood watch is in force for all Victorian catchments except in East Gippsland and the South West.

“The rain and storms will head north on Tuesday and stall over New South Wales and central Australia until at least Friday. Daily rain will exceed 50mm in some regions, enough to cause flash flooding.”

He said Canberra’s wettest days should be Wednesday and Thursday.

“The rain also has the potential to trigger widespread river flooding through much of northern South Australia and New South Wales,” Saunders said.

“Our nation is currently surrounded by very warm ocean temperatures, particularly off the west coast where the Indian Ocean has been steaming over three degrees higher than normal during the past few months. The warmer seas have increased evaporation which has allowed the atmosphere over Australia to become saturated with moisture, the perfect recipe for heavy rain and flooding.

“There is uncertainty in the forecast from Friday onwards but it is possible rain will continue across the weekend.”