Bracing for more showers
TOWNSVILLE has experienced triple the average rainfall for November, with more rain forecast this week.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Livio Regano said Queensland was hit with severe storms on Sunday, with some areas recording significant rainfall.
Townsville recorded about 160mm in 24 hours, which Mr Regano said was triple the average rainfall for the month in the tropics.
Sky News Meteorologist Rob Sharpe said Townsville recorded its heaviest rainfall for November in 22 years.
Other parts of the sunshine state recorded large rainfall totals, including the northern Brisbane suburb of Petrie, which saw about 70mm fall overnight.
The Sunshine Coast airport recorded its heaviest amount of rainfall in six months, with 76mm falling in 24 hours.
Mr Regano said the concern was the short bursts of rainfall in a short time across the state could lead to flash flooding.
“There’s two main waves, one already came through in the early afternoon and then later another is forecast today,” he said.
“It’ll come again today and could potentially be severe within the next few hours.”
Mr Regano said while it was hard to isolate where there the severe storms could strike, he warned residents from the north of Brisbane to Cairns should be prepared for wild weather over the coming days.
“It’s going to be a very volatile week, the next two days will be hot humid stormy but then Wednesday and Thursday will be cooler and windier and just rainier.
“It’s evenly spread, everyone is going to get wet.”
Mr Regano said a low pressure system on Wednesday will see thunderstorms form over central Queensland.
“Nobody will miss out - the next few days will be stormy, rain will be hit and miss hot and then a cool windy change is coming on Thursday,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bureau forecasts a cool, west to southwesterly airstream is expected to persist over Victoria early in the week as a high pressure system moves to a position over The Bight.
The high will move eastwards later in the week to be centred east of Tasmania on Friday afternoon.
Sydneysiders can expect a dry week up until Friday, when showers are forecast.
Mr Sharpe said the bulk of the stormy weather has now passed most of the country.
“North east New South Wales could see some nasty storms today with damaging winds, heavy rain and even large hail a chance in northern New South Wales,” he said.
“(For the rest of the country) it looks like a dry week, probably a dry fortnight, in western New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.”
Mr Sharpe said Western Australia is forecast to see two days of severe heat.
That heat is expected to continue, with an 80 per cent chance of above median maximum temperatures for much of the west coast to be recorded from January to March in 2023.
Flood warnings remain in place for a large part of New South Wales, with residents urged to contact SES for ongoing updates about any potential threats.