Eastern Australia braces for new storm surge after Queensland floods

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe thunderstorm, heavy rain, and flash flood warnings for South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. These alerts cover a large portion of the country for this weekend. The forecast adds more precipitation to a Queensland that has already experienced a very wet week.

Senior meteorologist David Crock stated that severe weather is expected in several locations in central and eastern Queensland on Saturday. These areas include Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast hinterlands, and Roma. Crock noted that the region is receiving substantial rain and showers after a persistent wet period. He described the conditions as more typical of summer months like January or February rather than the current time of year.

The storm system is expected to expand further south. Parts of Victoria, including Melbourne's eastern suburbs, and central and eastern South Australia may face severe storms. In Tasmania, heavy rain is forecast to develop overnight into Sunday morning. A cold front will cross New South Wales on Sunday, bringing severe thunderstorms to the western part of the state, north-eastern Victoria, Sydney, and Brisbane. Crock indicated that the threat of thunderstorms would extend across eastern Australia, with severe storms likely in a wide area of inland eastern Australia.

The current forecast follows a week of extreme rainfall in Queensland. Several areas received more than double their average October rainfall over just a few days. Large amounts of moisture were drawn into the region, with totals building up over seven to 10 days across Queensland and northern New South Wales. The Sunshine Coast hinterlands and Caboolture experienced flash flooding. These areas recorded seven-day rainfall totals between 300mm and 400mm, with some locations reaching 450mm.

The heaviest falls occurred on Thursday, when torrential rain stretched from Caboolture south to the Border Ranges. Some places received well over 200mm of rain. The downpour caused flash flooding, water rescues, and hundreds of calls for help to the State Emergency Service. Several schools were forced to close on Friday.

The Queensland fire department carried out more than 16 swift-water rescues. In one incident, crews used a raft to reach an elderly man who was clinging to the roof of his vehicle at Caboolture.

The Bureau of Meteorology currently has nine flood warnings in place for southern Queensland. The next major weather event is expected to begin with the cold front crossing New South Wales on Sunday.