A LOW pressure system is set to deluge the entire eastern coast in the coming days. Better get your brolly ready.
IT MAY be sunny and bright out at the moment but get ready Australia because the deluge is coming.
A low pressure system is slowly creeping up on the entire eastern seaboard which could see a month’s rain fall from the skies in just three short, and very soggy, days.
But for one populated pocket of Queensland the drenching could be even more disastrous with up to five times the average rainfall for May falling.
The downpours could lead to flash flooding particularly in areas still wet following Cyclone Debbie.
Tom Saunders, Chief Meteorologist with Sky News Weather told news.com.au the low pressure system was being bolstered by a mass of cold air in the lower atmosphere aiding heavy rainfall.
“The low is not particularly intense. However, it is slow moving which will allow tropical moisture to feed south and build on its eastern flank,” Mr Saunders said.
The system will move slowly eastwards across Eastern Australia in a wide band with Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne all in the firing line. Lighter showers will strike Perth and Adelaide as well with only the country’s remote north west likely to escape the showers.
While the downpours could begin as soon as Thursday, state capitals are likely to bear the brunt on Saturday.
“The rain event will peak between Thursday and Saturday and extend from tropical Queensland to northern Tasmania.
“Much of the Murray-Darling Basin should receive about 25 to 50mm of rain — about a month’s worth of rain,” said Mr Saunders.
But it’s coastal areas of Central Queensland, including Bowen, Townsville and Mackay, which will be particularly badly hit.
Residents of Townsville and Moranbah, which can usually expect an average of 32mm of rain in May, could be hit with anything from 50 to 150mm.
Griffith in southern NSW could see 50mm by the weekend, more than 15mm above the average while Swan Hill could get double its monthly rainfall.
“For tropical Queensland, the rain may lead to river flooding as catchments are still wet after Severe Cyclone Debbie,” said Mr Saunders.
“Across southeast Australia flash flooding is possible from thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday, along with other storm threats including damaging winds and hail.”
The Bureau of Meteorology has yet to issue any flood warnings but this could change as the low pressure system sweeps through.
WHEN WILL THE RAIN HIT YOUR CITY?
Sydney is expected to be sunny on Tuesday, with a high of 21C. There will be similar conditions on Wednesday before the rain begins in earnest on Thursday, although temperatures should hold up.
Melbourne should bump around highs in the late teens for the next few days with possible showers but ensure to pack a brolley from Friday.
Brisbane will be 26C and sunny on Tuesday. The mercury will dip to 23C on Friday as the rain makes its entrance. Further north the rain will come even sooner with showers appearing in Townsville by Wednesday evening.
A high of 14C in Hobart today will rise to 17C by Saturday with rainfalls here and there but Launceston and the north coast will be wetter.
A sunny Canberra, sitting on 17C, will see showers increasing with the heaviest downpours on Saturday.
Away from the worst of the weather, Adelaide will see intermittent showers all this week and highs of around 20C.
Perth will keep its glorious blue skies and temperatures in the mid-twenties until Friday before scattered showers settle in.
Darwin will be 33 and sunny.
Quick, let’s all book a flight to the Top End.
Online Source: news.com.au
