Storms hit eastern states after Queensland deluge
Bureau of Meteorology warns of severe weather in four states while Queensland records 450mm of rain.
By Adewale Fletcher ·
The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania on Thursday. The agency also kept nine flood warnings active for southern Queensland. These conditions follow a week of extreme rainfall in the north.
Senior meteorologist David Crock said severe storms and heavy rain were expected in central and eastern Queensland on Saturday. He listed Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast hinterlands, and Roma as key areas to watch. Crock noted that the region is receiving a large volume of precipitation after an unusually wet start to the month.
The weather system will push further south over the weekend. Parts of Victoria, including Melbourne's eastern suburbs, and central and eastern South Australia face severe storm risks. In Tasmania, heavy rain is forecast to develop overnight into Sunday morning. A cold front is scheduled to cross New South Wales on Sunday, bringing severe thunderstorms to the west of the state, north-eastern Victoria, Sydney, and Brisbane.
Queensland has already absorbed massive amounts of water this week. Several areas received more than double their average October rainfall in just a few days. Crock described the conditions as resembling typical summer weather from January or February rather than October. The Sunshine Coast hinterlands and Caboolture recorded seven-day rainfall totals between 300mm and 400mm, with some specific locations reaching 450mm.
The heaviest downpour occurred on Thursday, when torrential rain stretched from Caboolture south to the Border Ranges. Some locations received well over 200mm of rain in that single day. The downpour triggered flash flooding and required water rescues. The State Emergency Service received hundreds of calls for assistance. Several schools in the affected areas closed on Friday due to the conditions.
The Queensland fire department performed more than 16 swift-water rescues during the event. In one specific incident in Caboolture, crews used a raft to reach an elderly man who was clinging to the roof of his vehicle. The persistent weather pattern has drawn in large amounts of moisture, causing totals to build up over seven to 10 days across Queensland and northern New South Wales.
