Queensland Rain Totals Hit 450mm

The Bureau of Meteorology issued warnings for severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, and flash flooding in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. These alerts coincide with nine active flood warnings for southern Queensland. Senior meteorologist David Crock stated that the weather pattern is expected to persist across the east coast.

Crock identified Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast hinterlands, and Roma as primary areas for severe storms in central and eastern Queensland on Saturday. He noted that Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and central and eastern South Australia also face risks of severe weather. Tasmania is expected to see heavy rain develop overnight into Sunday morning.

A cold front is scheduled to cross New South Wales on Sunday. This system will bring severe thunderstorms to western New South Wales, north-eastern Victoria, Sydney, and Brisbane. Crock indicated that the threat of thunderstorms will extend across a wide portion of inland eastern Australia.

The current forecast follows a week of extreme rainfall in Queensland. Several regions recorded more than double their average October rainfall over a few days. Crock described the conditions as typical of summer months like January or February, rather than the current season.

Rainfall totals in the Sunshine Coast hinterlands and Caboolture reached between 300mm and 400mm over seven days, with some locations hitting 450mm. The heaviest downpour occurred on Thursday, when torrential rain stretched from Caboolture to the Border Ranges. Some places received well over 200mm of rain during that single day.

The Queensland fire department conducted more than 16 swift-water rescues during the event. In one incident, crews used a raft to assist an elderly man who was holding onto the roof of his vehicle in Caboolture. The State Emergency Service received hundreds of calls for help, and several schools closed on Friday due to the flooding.

Crock emphasized that the persistent weather pattern drew in large amounts of moisture over seven to 10 days. This buildup affected Queensland and northern New South Wales. The agency continues to monitor the movement of the cold front as it impacts the eastern states.