Every Australian state and territory will get solid summer rain over the next few days as a rare weather pattern spreads tropical moisture across the continent.
The unusual combination of a slow-moving tropical low pressure system over the Kimberley, an active monsoon trough across northern Australia and a low pressure trough running from WA to Tasmania will deliver the mid-summer rain bonanza for weary firefighters and drought areas in the southeast through to Sunday.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Craig Burke said the interaction of a monsoon trough with a southern Australian weather system to create such widespread rain is "highly unique".
"Anywhere in central and southeastern Australia is going to see some pretty impressive rain in the next couple of days," Mr Burke told AAP.
"The sort of rainfall that we're expecting is going to suppress any fire activity that's current and it's good news for people that have had some pretty dry weather for a number of months now."
Only northern NSW, southern WA and inland Queensland will stay dry, although rain will be light south of Townsville.
Between 200mm and 400mm is forecast to accumulate by Sunday in WA's Kimberley and northern interior and the NT/SA border region.
Flood watches are in place for SA's North West Pastoral and Flinders districts, NT inland rivers and the Fitzroy River catchment, interior and north and west Kimberley in WA.
Monsoonal rain will persist over the north until Sunday, Mr Burke said.
Thunderstorms, possibly severe, are expected in Victoria southern SA on Thursday.
The low pressure trough will remain over central Australia and eastern SA.
Tasmania will see most rain on Thursday but rain will fall through the weekend in SA, Victoria and western and southern NSW.
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