Australia’s east coast is bracing for a substantial rainfall event starting today, with forecasts indicating that the wet weather may persist in some areas into the following week. According to senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology, sporadic showers have already been observed, particularly around south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales.
Rainfall totals have reached between 20mm to 25mm, with specific regions experiencing even higher amounts of up to 40mm. The Sunshine Coast and certain islands off shore in Queensland are seeing the heaviest falls, measuring between 50mm and 70mm. Today, the rain is predicted to spread more broadly across central and southern Queensland, as well as eastern and north-east New South Wales, driven by a low-pressure trough in the upper atmosphere combined with moist oceanic winds.
Though thunderstorms are anticipated in affected parts of Queensland and northern New South Wales, they are not expected to reach severe levels. The rainfall will continue throughout the weekend, with Queensland projected to see a gradual easing from Sunday whereas New South Wales may experience ongoing precipitation into early next week, accumulating totals between 50mm and 100mm.
Sadly, this wet weather is unlikely to provide significant relief to the drought-affected regions in Victoria or South Australia, where only minor scattered showers are forecast. Additionally, meteorological updates suggest that southern Australia should prepare for a cold snap on Friday and Saturday, with temperatures potentially dropping by up to 10 degrees Celsius.
In the wake of this cold front, snow is also expected at elevations as low as 500m in Tasmania and 1000m in Victoria, though accumulations are likely to be minimal due to an influx of dry air following the rain. Overall, while the east coast prepares for a soaking, other regions contend with the ongoing challenges of drought and fluctuating temperatures.