Finally, some relief to end 40-day dry spell
EXHAUSTED firefighters can start looking to the skies this evening with predictions the Far North is set to cop it’s first major weather event in weeks.
Not a drop of rain has fallen in Cairns in well over a month, which has only elevated the fire danger around the region.
But predictions are in place for up to 30mm to fall in the city starting tonight and into tomorrow, while the Cassowary Coast could be even wetter with up to 80mm forecast.
It is welcome news to Rural Fire Service Cairns and Peninsula area director Gordon Yorke, who said some crews had been battling the blaze which is continuing to plague East Trinity for more than a week.
“If we got 30mm it would give everybody a good rest,” he said.
“We’ve had an early start to the fire season, locals will tell you about a month early, and it will continue until we get substantial rain because the soil is just so dry.
“Conditions at the moment are so dry that fires are starting easily – from slashing, machinery, cigarette butts being thrown out the window.”
Just 1.4mm of rain fell during August in Cairns, despite the monthly average being 26.4mm.
The last significant day of rain was on July 3 when 27mm fell. Duty forecaster Rick said the rain was set to begin in the region tonight, extending throughout Tuesday and would clear by Wednesday.
He said coastal areas would enjoy most of it with falls expected all the way from the Cassowary Coast through to Lockhart River in Cape York.
“For this time of year it’s pretty unusual to be getting this kind of rainfall,” he said.
The Tablelands is also ex- pected to get between 10mm and 20mm.
Mr Threlfall said an upper trough moving across northern Queensland, combined with moist onshore winds, was the catalyst for the rain.
He said it would move away quickly on Wednesday.
Despite initial predictions of an early onset wet season, long range forecasting now shows there is an equal chance it will arrive early or late this year.