Aussie outback cops a pasting from the super storm

Normally dust-dry rivers and creeks are now in full flow.

Alice Springs woke yesterday to the highest flows in the Todd River in 20 years, following intense rainfall from thunderstorms.

Widespread rainfall totals of 70-100 mm were recorded throughout the Todd River catchment with most of that falling in the four hour period, Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Rebecca Patrick said.

Records for rainfall in November have already been broken for Ormiston Gorge outside the Alice recording 209.6 mm so far this month, breaking the previous record of 137.8 mm from 1977.

Alice Springs Airport has also broken its November rainfall record with 178.4mm, beating the old record of 156mm from 2008.

"Rivers and creeks throughout the MacDonnell Ranges are flowing strongly with the Finke River starting to flow and the Hugh River as well," Ms Patrick said.

A flood watch for southern parts of the Territory continues.

Some transport routes are closed.

There have been thunderstorm warnings and heavy rainfall for parts of the Tanami, Barkly, Lasseter and Simpson districts.

Tennant Creek had 20mm to 9am today and Alice Springs a further 18mm.

Many parts of Australia are expecting to see several times the average November rainfall in just the next few days.

It come as an intense low pressure system moves across much of the interior and east coast of Australia.

"Eastern Australia is set to be hit by widespread storms, intense rain and potentially major flooding as a weather system impacts millions of people," Jonathon How from the bureau said.

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A tropical air mass has moved over Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory, on its way towards the east coast.

It is rare to see this kind of tropical weather event this early into the storm season.

Storms are expected to cover over half the continent.

It's bringing with it humid and unstable air that is likely to promote large storms along the east coast, with between 150 to 200mm of rainfall expected in some areas.

In Victoria and Tasmania, the storms will also bring a significant cold front.

The worst of the weather is expected tomorrow (Friday), when damaging winds will likely be seen around Victoria and NSW. Some conditions could continue into next week.