Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) are currently facing persistent rainfall, which is anticipated to extend into Sunday. In Queensland, the wet weather is expected to diminish from late Saturday morning. However, a cool south-westerly front will sweep through the north-east, ushering in cooler winds.
According to BoM Senior Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury, a coastal low-pressure system is set to develop and intensify on Sunday in NSW. This system will lead to increased showers, along with strong to potentially damaging winds and hazardous surf conditions along the coast. The amounts of rainfall and the impacts felt will depend on the system’s location and movement, with the most significant rain expected across southern and central NSW on Sunday. Rainfall will continue to affect the Central, Hunter, and Mid-North Coasts into Monday and Tuesday, with anticipated daily totals reaching at least 50mm along the coast, with localised areas possibly experiencing more severe conditions.
The low-pressure system’s impacts are expected to cause dangerous wind conditions, potentially downing trees along with creating hazardous surf. Meanwhile, Tasmania, Victoria, and South Australia are preparing for the coldest weekend of the year due to an incoming cold front. As this front moves through, it will bring scattered showers and gusty winds, with forecasts suggesting it could also result in hail for Victoria and severe frosts in parts of Tasmania. Temperatures are projected to decline by two to five degrees below the average for May during Saturday and Sunday, with night-time lows dropping to between zero and five degrees Celsius and daytime highs struggling to reach 16 degrees.
Fortunately, conditions are expected to improve after Sunday, as a high-pressure system will move in quickly behind the cold front, stabilising the weather and lifting temperatures once again.