State on storm footing
TASMANIANS have been warned they may need to change their Mother’s Day weekend plans, with half the state under a severe weather warning.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts southeasterly wind gusts of up to 80km/h, heavy rainfall over the state’s South and East from late Thursday and the risk of flash flooding.
The most severe weather is forecast for Friday, with downpours of up to 60mm in only six hours possible in parts of the southeastern half of the state.
The looming low pressure system could also bring heavy snowfall across the Central Highlands and damaging winds of about 100 km/h in coastal areas, senior meteorologist Simon Lewis said.
The mercury will drop to 7C in Hobart on Thursday, with snow falling above 1000m on kunanyi/Mt Wellington.
Sunday will see a medium chance of showers and winds easing off in the afternoon with a maximum temperature of 15C.
“There’s a risk of significant flash flooding and riverine flooding across the South and East,” Mr Lewis said.
“[The weather system] is an east coast low, which is going to develop on Thursday and hang around until Saturday.”
He said there was still uncertainty around the BOM’s modelling of the weather system and warned people to remain informed.
“It’s a dynamic situation, it is important people stay up to date with the latest warnings and forecasts,” he said.
“For the most part over summer we haven’t had a lot of heavy rain and people will not have seen some of these falls recently ... this could develop into a high-end event fairly quickly.
“Probably the main areas of concern are the Huon Valley and the Hobart region, around Glenorchy and Kingston.”
Tasmania SES acting director Leon Smith said people considering travel over the weekend should heed the slogan “if it’s flooded, forget it”.
“Don’t enter flood waters under any circumstance, it’s extremely dangerous,” Mr Smith said.
He also told drivers to be mindful of debris on the road and potential large obstacles, like fallen trees. He said adapting driving habits to suit the conditions would be the key to safety on the roads.
“If the wind speeds we anticipate eventuate, along with the wet soil and rainfall, there’s great potential for trees to come down – it’s a threat to people outdoors. It’s essential you make other motorists aware of your presence – turn your headlights on during daytime hours and monitor your speed proportionate to the situation,” he said
Mr Smith urged Tasmanians to “remain vigilant” and to regularly check the SES website for updates.
“We don’t know exactly how the weather conditions will eventuate, which is why it’s so important that people closely monitor the forecast and warnings,” he said.