Winter 2016 will go down as one of the wettest on record with almost three times the average rainfall across the Bathurst region.

Rain that started late on Tuesday night finally pushed the winter total recorded at Bathurst Airport past 300mm – well above the 124mm we usually get.

Bathurst’s major water catchment – Ben Chifley Dam at The Lagoon – has been overflowing for the past two months and will head into spring at full capacity of 30,000 megalitres.

Winburndale Dam is also at capacity.

June was the wettest of the winter months with 113mm of rain, followed by July (101mm) and August (89mm to 9am on Wednesday).

But it has not been all good news with the Queen Charlotte Vale Creek at Perthville twice breaking its banks over the past two months and a new flood watch issued for the Macquarie River on Wednesday.

The State Emergency Service issued the warning based on forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology.

“A cold front preceded by a rain band will move through NSW during Wednesday followed by a low pressure trough developing across the western parts of the state on Thursday and deepening Friday before moving over the Tasman Sea during Saturday,” a spokesperson said.

“In the wake of the trough another high pressure system is expected to move over south-eastern Australia on Sunday.

“This weather system is expected to produce heavy rain over most of inland districts and has the potential to cause riverine flooding as well as local flash flooding ... from Friday onwards.”

Farmers and landholders along the Macquarie River and Queen Charlotte Vale Creek were advised to consider moving livestock, pumps and other farm equipment to higher ground.