Why it matters: Australia is facing its fourth round of flooding in less than a year and a half, according to the Associated Press. The flooding is seen as one of the worst rounds of extreme weather for the country’s most populous city in 18 months. Leading the news: A powerful storm on Australia’s southeast coast has brought moisture inland, combined with rough seas and strong winds, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

More than 1.6 feet of rain has fallen in eastern New South Wales in the past 48 hours, CNN reports. Officials reported at least 3 feet of rain after days of torrential downpours, which led to overflowing dams and broken waterways, per AP. Nearly 32,000 people were given evacuation orders and warnings because of widespread flooding, New South Wales state Premier Dominic Perrottet told the AP.

What they say: “The latest information we have is that there is a very good chance the flooding will be worse than any of the other three floods these areas have had in the last 18 months,” Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said. per AP. Flooded area in a suburb of Sydney. Photo: Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images A flooded area in a Sydney suburb. Photo: Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images A submerged road sign. Photo: Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images What we’re watching: Sydney is bracing for more rain on Monday with the weather easing on Tuesday, according to The Guardian. The big picture: Flooding in Australia has become the new normal.

The country has seen some flooding during the early summer months. But now it has become commonplace, which has raised questions about how to support communities that feel the brunt of the storms, according to CNN.

Thought bubble via Axios’ Andrew Freedman: Heavy rainfall events are a hallmark of climate change, with rising air and sea temperatures boosting the amount of moisture in the atmosphere available to quench storms. Numerous studies show clear links between increased global precipitation extremes and human-induced climate change.

The fact that this is the fourth major flooding event in New South Wales, including Sydney, in such a short space of time shows Australia’s vulnerability to such events, as well as the challenges ahead in adapting to the new normal.

Go deeper: Extreme weather is taking over the world