Rain dump in Brisbane on the cards
Brisbane could be drenched by heavy rain from fallout from a possible tropical cyclone approaching the state’s far north.
There was a tropical low over the Coral Sea about 350 kilometers from Cairns on Friday and was likely to hit north of Townsville late Saturday or early Sunday.
According to Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, there was about a 40 per cent to 50 per cent chance of the low developing into a hurricane before reaching land.
Flooding is expected in some isolated areas over the next three days, with the possibility of up to half a meter of rain falling.
“One of the big messages I’m giving people is that whether this becomes a tropical cyclone or not, it’s going to bring a lot of rain,” Hines said.
“We could certainly experience river flooding, rivers could break their banks, roads could be closed, landslides are possible and there is potential for community isolation.
“It doesn’t really matter if it’s a tropical cyclone or not.”
The north coast has been hit by heavy downpours in recent weeks, with oversaturated soil increasing the risk of flooding.
Hines added that the weather system could move southwards after landfall and could dump up to 35 millimeters of rain on Brisbane early next week.
“It’s definitely possible,” he said.
“There’s definitely a chance we could see heavy rainfall on Monday and possibly into Tuesday as the remnants of this weather system move down.
“We may also see that number increase… If you’re in the southeast, I would pay attention to this forecast on Monday and Tuesday because that’s when the weather system could impact you.”
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