Bendigo had already received double its average December rainfall by just halfway through the month.
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By December 17, 80 millimetres had fallen on Bendigo, more than twice the monthly mean of 33.1.
Over half the rainfall took place during just one day.
A total of 42.2 millimetres of rain had hit Bendigo Airport by 9am on Friday December 14.
It was the wettest December day since 2007, and one of only three that have exceeded the total of 42.2 millimetres since records began to be taken at Bendigo Airport.
Castlemaine also exceeded its average monthly rainfall, with a total of 59.8 millimetres for December to date.
Nearly a third of the total fell in the 24 hours between 9am Thursday and 9am Friday.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Stewart said the heavy rainfall was due to a low pressure system over Victoria, which dragged humid air from Queensland and NSW south.
Unstable air combined with high humidity caused downpours when the storms broke.
“It was a bit like having a tropical air mass over us,” Mr Stewart said.
In some parts of north west Victoria over 400 percent of the monthly average rainfall has fallen to date.
Further showers are forecast later in the week.
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