The Meteorological Office and the SES have issued a strong warning to millions of people, as a month of rain is expected to fall in a single day.
The Meteorological Office and the SES have issued a strong warning to millions of residents to be on the lookout for weather alerts and prepare for possible evacuations, as a month of rain is expected to fall in a single day this weekend. .
They have warned of widespread flooding, as hundreds of millimeters are being flooded from communities along the east coast, with Sydney and Illawarra among the hardest hit areas.
A 500-kilometer heavy rain band is expected to affect communities from Port Stephens to Batemans Bay.
The BOM says coastal communities in these communities will “carry the weight” of heavy showers, but that the “rapidly evolving” nature of the weather system means residents in Queensland and beyond NSW should also pay attention to the warnings. weather.
The timing couldn’t be worse for NSW and Queensland residents, who will suffer the brunt of the big wet weather event as school holidays begin today.
The SES has warned NSW residents, in particular, to re-assess whether it is safe to travel now, given how disastrous the forecast is for the next few days, with the BOM calling the weather system “dangerous”.
Jane Golding, director of BoM Risk Preparedness and Response, said communities are at risk for flash floods, river floods, landslides and especially dangerous surfing conditions.
“What we’re seeing is the formation of a coastal trough on the coast of New South Wales,”
she said. “We know that these are quite dangerous systems and that they have caused widespread flooding in the past, and this is certainly expected for the next few days.”
The showers have already begun to affect large parts of the NSW coast, but it is expected to get worse from Saturday, when the heaviest rain falls, until Monday as soon as possible.
“It looks like the focus area will be around Sydney on Saturday,” Mrs Golding said. “So hopefully some locations over the next few days and even tomorrow could see what they would normally see throughout the month of July in one day.
“The rains will cause river floods and sudden floods, as we know that the landscapes are quite vulnerable at the moment and the water can move very quickly along the slopes and along the waterways.”
Warning to stay off the roads
NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York said as the dams and rivers were already full, there was “significant” concern about what was to come for communities across the state.
“This major rain event could have significant effects on communities from Port Stephens to Batemans Bay, so we are preparing and sending messages to the community to let them know they are in some of these risk areas. and be prepared.
“So I remind the community to keep up with the messages we’re posting.”
He said the fact that your home has not been affected by major weather events this year does not mean your community will escape unscathed this time.
“I don’t want people to be complacent because their home or business has not been affected in the past,” he said. “That doesn’t mean it won’t be affected by these planned rain events that will last a few days.”
He also had a warning for Australians who plan to travel over the next few days.
“It is important to remember that in these areas that are from low to high risk of flooding, these low areas will be significantly affected, such as caravan parks and campsites,” he said.
“So be safe and do your research on where you are going and how you will get there and if it is safe … also really think about the safety of you and your families.
“We do not want people to travel on the roads during these days of heavy rain if they are putting themselves at risk. So think about the trips you might have to make to any of these places. “
The BOM says the erratic nature of the weather system makes it difficult to predict when the weather will clear up.
“It’s early enough for the system to know when the rain will stop, but I would say the rain will continue until Monday and potentially until Tuesday,” Ms. Golding said.
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Sydney will be one of the hardest hit areas in the next few days, as the NSW coast between the central coast and the Ilwarwarra is expected to shift between 200 and 300 mm of rain.
Meteorologists have warned that the systems, including a treacherous low east coast in Sydney, as well as torrential rains in much of Queensland, are likely to be “intense”.
The weather Sky News Senior meteorologist Tom Saunders said Katherine could record 25mm of rain as the event unfolds. This compares with the usual 1 mm that the city of the Northern Territory receives in July.
“That’s more than 10 times the average rainfall.”
Saunders said a higher level was the cause of the weather drama rising from South Australia.
“This trough will interact with tropical moisture to produce unusual rains (beat) even July records.”
Intense shock for Queensland
Another humid climate system traversing northern Australia is already in full swing.
Darwin caught 8mm of rain on Thursday while Katherine saw more than 10mm.
After cleaning up on Saturday, the system is likely to move to Queensland.
“Falls are expected to intensify on Sunday, with strong falls likely Monday and Tuesday in northern and eastern Queensland,” Saunders said.
Between Friday and Tuesday, Rockhampton is observing between 100 and 175 mm of rain. Mackay could push 200mm.
“Mackay, Rockhampton: They only average about 35mm throughout the month of July. So you’re talking about a rainy season that falls in a week.”
Cairns could see up to 30 mm on Friday, a respite for the weekend, then between 10 and 50 mm more on Monday and Tuesday with highs of 27 ºC.
Brisbane will also be soaked. On Friday they could go down 10-20 mm and on Saturday 15-25 mm. A rain or two on Sunday will bring up to 10 mm plus on Monday and 35 mm possible for Tuesday.
The capital of Queensland should see highs between 17 and 21ºC and lows in low teens.
—With Benedict Brook
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