Broome breaks February rain record

Broome has been hit with its wettest February Day on record after a tropical low continued to move slowly down the Kimberley coast.

As of 6pm, Bureau of Meteorology automatic data showed 194.8mm of rain had been dumped on town from 9am, surpassing the previous record of 181.6mm on February 22, 1991—and the day was not even close to finished.

The Bureau of Meteorology will officially register the new record at 9am tomorrow.

In a typical February, Broome would experience about 177.4mm of rain.

BOM Broome rainfall data dates back to February, 1941.

As of 5.58pm, a low pressure system was located 90km west of Broome and moving south-west down the Kimberley coast.

The low was forecast to develop into a tropical cyclone by tomorrow morning.

The heavy rainfall comes just weeks after the tourist town set a new January rainfall record of 915.6mm.