A few days ago, we explored why Queensland has been so drenched this March, with the state experiencing its third-wettest March on record. This deluge has been driven by a La Niña-like pattern in the equatorial Pacific, record-warm ocean temperatures, and a monsoonal burst combined with an active Madden-Julian Oscillation, which has funnelled intense rainfall across the state, especially to North Queensland. While widespread major flooding is unfolding across the southwest due to the recent heavy rainfall event, it's the relentless and persistent nature of the weather in the north that has been particularly notable for Townsville over the past 27 days.

It's safe to say that locals in Townsville have had their fill of the wet weather. After 27 consecutive recorded rain days, they're probably thinking, 'Enough already!' And they have every reason to be fed up, as the city has endured its longest stretch of recorded precipitation days in over three decades: 34 years, to be exact.

From Tuesday, 11th March to today Sunday 6th April, precipitation has been recorded every single day at Townsville Airport, totalling an eye-popping 1,106.6mm over the 27-day period. The last time Townsville saw such an extensive run of rain was during December 1990-January 1991, when the city recorded the same number of rain days, accumulating 771.4mm.

Looking at historical data, some of the longest rain periods since records began at this site in 1940 include 23 rain days during December 1980-January 1981, which brought 740.4mm, and 21 rain days during January-February 2009, with 969.2mm of rain. However, none of these even come close to the staggering volume of rain recorded this time around.

In fact, the 1,106mm of rain recorded in the last 27 days has far surpassed the typical monthly average for both this March and April. The average rainfall for Townsville in March is only 188.9mm, while April's monthly average is just 67.7mm.

One more striking detail: Townsville recorded 301.4mm of rain in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday, 19th March: just 65.1mm shy of the daily rainfall record for March, set back in 1946 at 366.5mm, since records began for this site in 1940.

But that's not all; this March has already shattered Townsville's previous monthly rainfall record. The previous record of 696.2mm, set in March 2011, has been eclipsed, with this March's total soaring to an extraordinary 1,004.6mm.

There's still a chance Townsville could set a new record. If Townsville records at least some precipitation in the gauge throughout the remainder of today, Sunday 6th April, the city could record 28 consecutive rain days, setting a new record for Townsville Airport, the longest stretch of rain days in over 80 years of records.