DIVING INTO NEW YEAR WITH A WET AND WILD START
THE Gold Coast will be ringing in 2018 with a bang – literally – as thunderstorms threaten to rain down on New Year’s Eve celebrations.
With a 70 per cent chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon, a thunderstorm in the evening and a top of 29C, Gold Coasters might have to factor in an umbrella or poncho into their party plans.
Today’s forecast is partly cloudy with a 40 per cent chance of showers in the evening, reaching a top of 31C.
A Weatherzone spokeswoman said Gold Coasters could look forward to a “whole week of carrying umbrellas around”.
“We’ll be seeing the typical summertime weather – showers and storms for the whole week,” she said.
“It’s looking stormy for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. There is also a forecast for stormy weather for the rest of the week.”
The wild weather will create some unstable beach conditions with lifeguards already busy managing large crowds of beachgoers enjoying their summer break.
Chief lifeguard Warren Young warned people not to swim in the mouths of estuaries as the tide goes out over the weekend.
With a “significant tidal” variance on New Year’s Day and a high tide of 1.8m at 7.30am, inshore currents will increase, posing a risk to swimmers from midmorning to lunchtime along beaches.
“The estuaries at Currumbin and Tallebudgera Creek will be affected and a general warning is in place for people to avoid swimming near the mouth of these spots as the tide goes out,” he said.
Lifeguards and lifesavers expect a busy weekend as conditions are “not ideal”.
“Please under no circumstances consider swimming outside the flags or after patrol hours,” he said.