Post by SA Hunter on Jun 5, 2016 9:06:24 GMT 10
www.adelaidenow.com.au/technology/bureau-of-meteorology-predicts-east-coast-of-australia-to-be-hit-with-wild-weather-this-weekend/news-story/610af12708436436b97eda97e7d4e815
TWO people are dead and five injured in Queensland as wild weather lashed Australia’s east coast.
Most of southern Queensland and northern NSW was drenched, with a staggering 468mm of rain falling at Wooli River caravan park since Saturday 9am.
More than 500 residents have been evacuated from their homes due to flooding including residents in Coffs Harbour, which experienced its wettest June day on record, according to The Coffs Coast Advocate.
A flood watch has been issued for 23 NSW rivers and the State Emergency Service has responded to more than 3000 calls for help.
Severe weather conditions are expected to continue today with heavy rain and strong winds expected to make its way south along the NSW coast.
The extreme weather system is being blamed as a possible cause of a horror smash near Ipswich, west of Brisbane, that claimed the life of a man and woman on Saturday morning.
While the worst of the pouring rain and destructive winds is thought to have passed through Queensland, the conditions are expected to continue in NSW through Sunday.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Kenneth Cheung said the heaviest falls in Queensland were experienced at Coolangatta, which has seen 280mm of rainfall since Saturday 9am.
Conditions in Sydney are expected to remain wet with a chance of thunderstorms in the morning and afternoon. Coastal winds are expected to get up to 70km/hour.
Rain should ease in the afternoon but will continue down most of the south coast for the remainder of Sunday.
“Conditions are still quite severe and everyone needs to take care and stay up to date with the warnings for today,” Mr Cheung said.
Severe weather warnings remain in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
CHAOS AS STORM BEARS DOWN
Five people were injured in a separate crash at Woodlands, south of Gatton, while there have been multiple reports of cars being swept away by floodwaters.
Beaches on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts were closed because of strong winds and high seas, while more than 220mm of rain was dumped on Upper Springbrook, in the Gold Coast hinterland, by Saturday morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology has also declared a severe weather warning along the entire NSW coast for what meteorologists believe is the first time in 30 years.
Authorities warned that the storm would get more intense on Saturday night, with king tides, winds of up to 125kmh and up to 200mm of rain expected to hit Newcastle and Sydney.
Threats to public safety prompted Vivid Sydney organisers to cancel a majority of lighting installations around Circular Quay and Martin Place, and urged those intending to visit to postpone.
The NSW State Emergency Service said it had received almost 300 calls for emergency assistance by early Saturday morning, mostly from homes in the state’s north but also Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Maitland and Gosford.
Queensland SES also received more than 200 calls for help, with 2500 properties on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts without power.
In NSW, an evacuation centre was set up near Fingal Head, south of Tweed Heads, amid fears the Tweed River could breach its banks.
NSW police have opened up the Public Information and Inquiry Centre to provide urgent updates on the weather and flooding across the state.
“We are going to experience over the next 48 hours increased rainfall and heavy winds — the public needs to take care in these conditions,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Kyle Stewart said on Saturday night.
“Our message is clear — do not put your life and that of emergency services personnel in danger.”
The Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers and low-lying parts of western Sydney, including Richmond and Windsor, were a major focus for the SES, spokeswoman Stephanie Sullivan told AAP.
In southeast Queensland, where the wet weather has already contributed to two road fatalities, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Gold Coast.
The bureau said the severe storms were likely to produce even more heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding through Saturday night and into Sunday, especially in Coolangatta, Tallebudgera and waters off Tweed Heads.
Earlier: Beaches along Queensland’s coast were closed due to huge waves, Brisbane was hit by flash flooding and the main highway north — the Bruce Highway — was cut off completely at 10am.
Two people died on wet roads when a mini-van collided with a truck in North Ipswich. Police say both occupants of the mini-van, a man and a woman, were killed. They are investigating what role the weather played in the crash.
Elsewhere, a woman had to be rescued from the roof of her car after it was swept off the Capricorn Highway.
Complicating matters further was a king tide expected on Saturday night. It was feared it would create huge swells and the potential for significant coastal erosion.
The storm is being treated as the most dangerous weather event since three people including an eight-year-old boy died in May last year. It’s impacting most of Queensland’s southeast and, further south, threatening to cause chaos along the NSW coast.
To put this storm in context, it stretches more than 2000km and the entire NSW coast has been put on flood watch. Meteorologists believe it’s the first mass warning of its kind in 30 years.
Rainfall records are not only being eclipsed, they’re being blown out of the water. In Coonamble, in northern NSW, the previous rainfall record for June was 57mm. Today, the country town recorded 93mm.
The Gold Coast is right in the storm’s path and will receive strong winds and heavy rainfall for much of Saturday evening.
The weather, created by an east coast low, is expected to smash both states all weekend before travelling south through Victoria and over Tasmania. Victoria is already on flood watch.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Ipswich, Logan, Scenic Rim, Brisbane City, Moreton Bay and parts of the Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast areas on Saturday morning.
The same warnings were issued for Albert, Gold Coast rivers and creeks, the Upper Condamine and the Border Rivers on Saturday afternoon.
The bureau said it was likely “intense rainfall would lead to flash flooding” in those areas. Pictures on social media confirm the risk, showing cars being down flooded streets.
Across large parts of south east Queensland, sand bags are being piled up in front of homes and businesses to protect them from the worst of the damage.
The State Emergency Service is doing more than its share to keep homes and businesses dry. They’d received more than 500 calls for help by midday.
The BoM knew the storm was coming but its severity appears to have caught even forecasters off guard. The Bureau said the system was originally expected to arrive on Saturday afternoon but formed faster than many thought it would.
BoM senior meteorologist Adam Morgan says it’s unusual to see an east coast low track southward. “We’ve got forecasters in NSW that can’t remember in 30 years having a flood watch out for the entire NSW coast,” he said.
“Everywhere is a bit of a risk, but probably the far north and the far south coasts tomorrow in terms of rain are the bigger risks for those higher-end falls,” Mr Morgan said.
The Queensland State Emergency Service’s Kevin Walsh had a message for people living in communities expected to be worst hit.
“It’s probably best to stay home ... it’s probably safest,” he told Sky News on Saturday morning.
He said the storm would likely move through Brisbane by 2pm and hang around over the Gold Coast for much of the evening.
Sydney has taken a lashing from heavy rains, too. The wild weather caused delays on the roads mid morning, including in an out of Sydney airport, but conditions had eased by midday.
The SES has also advised people to protect their family and property by staying indoors during the wild weather.
“Our volunteers can give safety advice, place tarpaulins on damaged roofs, and remove fallen trees and branches from buildings, road or property. As well as rescue people trapped or injured by storm activity,” the SES said.
In NSW alone, where the storm is yet to do its worst damage, the SES has already been called out to more than 300 jobs. More than 2000 properties on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts were without power.
Fire and Emergency Services deputy commissioner Mark Roche issued a firm warning for people to remain safe during the weather events.
“We would like to see people on Monday morning at work talking about the rain, not necessarily talking about loved ones who may have lost their lives,” he toldThe Courier Mail.
“The reality is that over half of the people that lose their lives in floods lose their lives because they drive through flood water.”
Authorities issued a statement shortly before 2pm saying they were happy with the public’s response.
QLD Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Peter Fleming said the accident at North Ipswich highlights the importance of taking extra care.
“It just brings home to all of us the need to make sure we drive to the conditions, and that any fatality on our roads is an absolute tragedy,” he said.
“You continually need to reassess your road travel and particularly now the winds are on the coastline, any boating or surf-related activities.”
The wild weather follows the warmest autumn ever recorded, with the mean temperature between March and the end of May hitting an average of 23.86C.
TWO people are dead and five injured in Queensland as wild weather lashed Australia’s east coast.
Most of southern Queensland and northern NSW was drenched, with a staggering 468mm of rain falling at Wooli River caravan park since Saturday 9am.
More than 500 residents have been evacuated from their homes due to flooding including residents in Coffs Harbour, which experienced its wettest June day on record, according to The Coffs Coast Advocate.
A flood watch has been issued for 23 NSW rivers and the State Emergency Service has responded to more than 3000 calls for help.
Severe weather conditions are expected to continue today with heavy rain and strong winds expected to make its way south along the NSW coast.
The extreme weather system is being blamed as a possible cause of a horror smash near Ipswich, west of Brisbane, that claimed the life of a man and woman on Saturday morning.
While the worst of the pouring rain and destructive winds is thought to have passed through Queensland, the conditions are expected to continue in NSW through Sunday.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Kenneth Cheung said the heaviest falls in Queensland were experienced at Coolangatta, which has seen 280mm of rainfall since Saturday 9am.
Conditions in Sydney are expected to remain wet with a chance of thunderstorms in the morning and afternoon. Coastal winds are expected to get up to 70km/hour.
Rain should ease in the afternoon but will continue down most of the south coast for the remainder of Sunday.
“Conditions are still quite severe and everyone needs to take care and stay up to date with the warnings for today,” Mr Cheung said.
Severe weather warnings remain in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
CHAOS AS STORM BEARS DOWN
Five people were injured in a separate crash at Woodlands, south of Gatton, while there have been multiple reports of cars being swept away by floodwaters.
Beaches on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts were closed because of strong winds and high seas, while more than 220mm of rain was dumped on Upper Springbrook, in the Gold Coast hinterland, by Saturday morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology has also declared a severe weather warning along the entire NSW coast for what meteorologists believe is the first time in 30 years.
Authorities warned that the storm would get more intense on Saturday night, with king tides, winds of up to 125kmh and up to 200mm of rain expected to hit Newcastle and Sydney.
Threats to public safety prompted Vivid Sydney organisers to cancel a majority of lighting installations around Circular Quay and Martin Place, and urged those intending to visit to postpone.
The NSW State Emergency Service said it had received almost 300 calls for emergency assistance by early Saturday morning, mostly from homes in the state’s north but also Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Maitland and Gosford.
Queensland SES also received more than 200 calls for help, with 2500 properties on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts without power.
In NSW, an evacuation centre was set up near Fingal Head, south of Tweed Heads, amid fears the Tweed River could breach its banks.
NSW police have opened up the Public Information and Inquiry Centre to provide urgent updates on the weather and flooding across the state.
“We are going to experience over the next 48 hours increased rainfall and heavy winds — the public needs to take care in these conditions,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Kyle Stewart said on Saturday night.
“Our message is clear — do not put your life and that of emergency services personnel in danger.”
The Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers and low-lying parts of western Sydney, including Richmond and Windsor, were a major focus for the SES, spokeswoman Stephanie Sullivan told AAP.
In southeast Queensland, where the wet weather has already contributed to two road fatalities, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Gold Coast.
The bureau said the severe storms were likely to produce even more heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding through Saturday night and into Sunday, especially in Coolangatta, Tallebudgera and waters off Tweed Heads.
Earlier: Beaches along Queensland’s coast were closed due to huge waves, Brisbane was hit by flash flooding and the main highway north — the Bruce Highway — was cut off completely at 10am.
Two people died on wet roads when a mini-van collided with a truck in North Ipswich. Police say both occupants of the mini-van, a man and a woman, were killed. They are investigating what role the weather played in the crash.
Elsewhere, a woman had to be rescued from the roof of her car after it was swept off the Capricorn Highway.
Complicating matters further was a king tide expected on Saturday night. It was feared it would create huge swells and the potential for significant coastal erosion.
The storm is being treated as the most dangerous weather event since three people including an eight-year-old boy died in May last year. It’s impacting most of Queensland’s southeast and, further south, threatening to cause chaos along the NSW coast.
To put this storm in context, it stretches more than 2000km and the entire NSW coast has been put on flood watch. Meteorologists believe it’s the first mass warning of its kind in 30 years.
Rainfall records are not only being eclipsed, they’re being blown out of the water. In Coonamble, in northern NSW, the previous rainfall record for June was 57mm. Today, the country town recorded 93mm.
The Gold Coast is right in the storm’s path and will receive strong winds and heavy rainfall for much of Saturday evening.
The weather, created by an east coast low, is expected to smash both states all weekend before travelling south through Victoria and over Tasmania. Victoria is already on flood watch.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Ipswich, Logan, Scenic Rim, Brisbane City, Moreton Bay and parts of the Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast areas on Saturday morning.
The same warnings were issued for Albert, Gold Coast rivers and creeks, the Upper Condamine and the Border Rivers on Saturday afternoon.
The bureau said it was likely “intense rainfall would lead to flash flooding” in those areas. Pictures on social media confirm the risk, showing cars being down flooded streets.
Across large parts of south east Queensland, sand bags are being piled up in front of homes and businesses to protect them from the worst of the damage.
The State Emergency Service is doing more than its share to keep homes and businesses dry. They’d received more than 500 calls for help by midday.
The BoM knew the storm was coming but its severity appears to have caught even forecasters off guard. The Bureau said the system was originally expected to arrive on Saturday afternoon but formed faster than many thought it would.
BoM senior meteorologist Adam Morgan says it’s unusual to see an east coast low track southward. “We’ve got forecasters in NSW that can’t remember in 30 years having a flood watch out for the entire NSW coast,” he said.
“Everywhere is a bit of a risk, but probably the far north and the far south coasts tomorrow in terms of rain are the bigger risks for those higher-end falls,” Mr Morgan said.
The Queensland State Emergency Service’s Kevin Walsh had a message for people living in communities expected to be worst hit.
“It’s probably best to stay home ... it’s probably safest,” he told Sky News on Saturday morning.
He said the storm would likely move through Brisbane by 2pm and hang around over the Gold Coast for much of the evening.
Sydney has taken a lashing from heavy rains, too. The wild weather caused delays on the roads mid morning, including in an out of Sydney airport, but conditions had eased by midday.
The SES has also advised people to protect their family and property by staying indoors during the wild weather.
“Our volunteers can give safety advice, place tarpaulins on damaged roofs, and remove fallen trees and branches from buildings, road or property. As well as rescue people trapped or injured by storm activity,” the SES said.
In NSW alone, where the storm is yet to do its worst damage, the SES has already been called out to more than 300 jobs. More than 2000 properties on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts were without power.
Fire and Emergency Services deputy commissioner Mark Roche issued a firm warning for people to remain safe during the weather events.
“We would like to see people on Monday morning at work talking about the rain, not necessarily talking about loved ones who may have lost their lives,” he toldThe Courier Mail.
“The reality is that over half of the people that lose their lives in floods lose their lives because they drive through flood water.”
Authorities issued a statement shortly before 2pm saying they were happy with the public’s response.
QLD Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Peter Fleming said the accident at North Ipswich highlights the importance of taking extra care.
“It just brings home to all of us the need to make sure we drive to the conditions, and that any fatality on our roads is an absolute tragedy,” he said.
“You continually need to reassess your road travel and particularly now the winds are on the coastline, any boating or surf-related activities.”
The wild weather follows the warmest autumn ever recorded, with the mean temperature between March and the end of May hitting an average of 23.86C.
