More flooding issues on the way for waterlogged eastern Australia
By
Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Dec 15, 2020 3:48 PM EDT
Heavy rain caused a waterfall on Dorrigo Mountain in New South Wales, Australia, to rage on Dec. 15, forcing a road along the mountain to close.
Following days of drenching rainfall, dry weather looks to remain out of reach this week for those cleaning up their communities across the eastern Australian coast.
On Friday, a non-tropical storm system began to unleash rain across portions of southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. Flash flooding from the mid-north coast of New South Wales to the south coast of Queensland had already become a major issue by Saturday morning. Heavy rains flooded multiple roadways and forced some residents to evacuate their homes on Saturday, 9News Australia reported.
At least four people were rescued from floodwaters in New South Wales overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, local time. Since Friday, emergency services in Australia received over 1,200 calls for assistance for problems ranging from property damage and leaks to fallen trees and flooding, The Guardian reported.
The chart above shows rainfall totals (mm) for New South Wales, Australia, from 8 Dec. to 14 Dec. A bulk of this rainfall fell 11 Dec. through 14 Dec. (Australian Bureau of Meteorology).
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) confirmed more than a dozen locations along the northern New South Wales and southern Queensland coast reported more than 150 mm (6 inches) of rain from Friday morning to Monday morning. For many of these locations, the worst of the rain came on Saturday and Sunday.
The highest storm total rainfall observed along the eastern coast of Australia through Monday belongs to Springbrook, Queensland. The BoM confirmed that from Friday morning to Monday morning, a station in Springbrook, Queensland, received a total of 738 mm (29.05 inches) of rain. To receive nearly 762 mm (30 inches) of rainfall in just 72 hours is highly unusual for southeastern Queensland, especially since the system that brought the rain was not a tropical cyclone.
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Now, as cleanup efforts begin across areas affected by these torrential rains, Mother Nature looks to put a few more hurdles in play through midweek.
"While the threat of widespread heavy rain is expected to come to an end after early this week, locally drenching thunderstorms can still bring downpours to much of eastern Australia into the middle of the week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said.
Unfortunately for residents hoping for receding floodwaters and dry weather, the most likely place for these potentially drenching thunderstorms to occur is along the coast from extreme southeastern Queensland to southeastern New South Wales.
These potentially heavy downpours may cause further small stream and river flooding issues and lead to more extensive property damage for residents caught under the unrelenting rains.
As of Tuesday evening, local time, three separate evacuation warnings were in effect for portions of the northeastern New South Wales coast. These evacuation warnings from the New South Wales State Emergency Service cautioned residents in low-lying areas to be prepared to move to higher ground as river levels continue to rise.
While the heaviest rain produced by these locally drenching thunderstorms will likely remain along the coast, showers and a few thunderstorms will likely track farther west into each state than what transpired over the past weekend.
Anyone traveling within the region should be prepared for additional road closures due to heavy rain and flooding. Even if there is not flooding in a particular area, travel delays are possible due to reduced visibility and ponding on roads.
People are advised never to drive across a flooding roadway. There can be no way of telling if the hidden road is washed out or compromised. Turn around and find another route.
Rounds of rainfall across eastern Australia will taper off later Wednesday night into Thursday. Forecasters are keeping a close eye on eastern Australia as another storm system may bring more drenching rain to the area later in the week.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather Forecasts
More flooding issues on the way for waterlogged eastern Australia
By Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Dec 15, 2020 3:48 PM EDT
Heavy rain caused a waterfall on Dorrigo Mountain in New South Wales, Australia, to rage on Dec. 15, forcing a road along the mountain to close.
Following days of drenching rainfall, dry weather looks to remain out of reach this week for those cleaning up their communities across the eastern Australian coast.
On Friday, a non-tropical storm system began to unleash rain across portions of southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. Flash flooding from the mid-north coast of New South Wales to the south coast of Queensland had already become a major issue by Saturday morning. Heavy rains flooded multiple roadways and forced some residents to evacuate their homes on Saturday, 9News Australia reported.
At least four people were rescued from floodwaters in New South Wales overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, local time. Since Friday, emergency services in Australia received over 1,200 calls for assistance for problems ranging from property damage and leaks to fallen trees and flooding, The Guardian reported.
The chart above shows rainfall totals (mm) for New South Wales, Australia, from 8 Dec. to 14 Dec. A bulk of this rainfall fell 11 Dec. through 14 Dec. (Australian Bureau of Meteorology).
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) confirmed more than a dozen locations along the northern New South Wales and southern Queensland coast reported more than 150 mm (6 inches) of rain from Friday morning to Monday morning. For many of these locations, the worst of the rain came on Saturday and Sunday.
The highest storm total rainfall observed along the eastern coast of Australia through Monday belongs to Springbrook, Queensland. The BoM confirmed that from Friday morning to Monday morning, a station in Springbrook, Queensland, received a total of 738 mm (29.05 inches) of rain. To receive nearly 762 mm (30 inches) of rainfall in just 72 hours is highly unusual for southeastern Queensland, especially since the system that brought the rain was not a tropical cyclone.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Now, as cleanup efforts begin across areas affected by these torrential rains, Mother Nature looks to put a few more hurdles in play through midweek.
"While the threat of widespread heavy rain is expected to come to an end after early this week, locally drenching thunderstorms can still bring downpours to much of eastern Australia into the middle of the week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said.
Unfortunately for residents hoping for receding floodwaters and dry weather, the most likely place for these potentially drenching thunderstorms to occur is along the coast from extreme southeastern Queensland to southeastern New South Wales.
These potentially heavy downpours may cause further small stream and river flooding issues and lead to more extensive property damage for residents caught under the unrelenting rains.
As of Tuesday evening, local time, three separate evacuation warnings were in effect for portions of the northeastern New South Wales coast. These evacuation warnings from the New South Wales State Emergency Service cautioned residents in low-lying areas to be prepared to move to higher ground as river levels continue to rise.
Related:
While the heaviest rain produced by these locally drenching thunderstorms will likely remain along the coast, showers and a few thunderstorms will likely track farther west into each state than what transpired over the past weekend.
Anyone traveling within the region should be prepared for additional road closures due to heavy rain and flooding. Even if there is not flooding in a particular area, travel delays are possible due to reduced visibility and ponding on roads.
People are advised never to drive across a flooding roadway. There can be no way of telling if the hidden road is washed out or compromised. Turn around and find another route.
Rounds of rainfall across eastern Australia will taper off later Wednesday night into Thursday. Forecasters are keeping a close eye on eastern Australia as another storm system may bring more drenching rain to the area later in the week.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo