Canberra hit by heavy rain, flash flooding inundates homes.

A deluge has brought parts of Canberra to a standstill and left some residents counting the cost as their homes flooded.

Cars under water at an apartment complex's car park in O'Connor

After a night of high winds and rain, Canberrans woke up on Sunday to more wet weather, which caused flash flooding through the morning.

Sixty millimetres of rain were recorded in the space of an hour at Sullivan's creek, just off Lake Burley Griffin, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

Just before 1:30pm, BOM cancelled the severe thunderstorm warning in place for the ACT, but warned Port Macquarie, Taree, Orange, Bathurst, Walgett and Dubbo could experience flash floods.

Read the ABC News story by Jon Healy - “Canberra hit by heavy rain, flash flooding inundates homes.”

Is Melbourne ready for summer?

It's Melbourne's third consecutive day over 43 degrees. The power is out. Trains are at a standstill after the rails buckle and warp in the heat.

Melbourne is set for a hot summer of warmer than average days and nights.

Ambulances and hospitals struggle to cope with massively increased patient numbers.

The sweltering conditions are more deadly than a bushfire, claiming hundreds of lives.

This isn't some dystopia. It already happened, in 2009.

And many fear Melbourne might experience such extreme conditions again this summer.

Read Debbie Cuthbertson’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Is Melbourne ready for summer?”