Far North Queensland has already been drenched with nearly a metre of rain, but the skies aren’t clearing just yet—more heavy downpours and potential flash flooding are on the way.
A tropical low off the coast has been hammering the region over the past three days, dumping more than 920mm of rain in some areas south of Cairns. The Bruce Highway was temporarily cut off by floodwaters north of Ingham, and the North Coast Rail Line remains closed due to debris and rising water levels.
And the wild weather isn’t over yet. The Bureau of Meteorology is warning that another metre of rain could fall by the end of the week.
“There’s a good chance we’ll see heavy, possibly even intense rainfall from as early as Friday evening, continuing into the weekend,” meteorologist Steven Hadley said.
The worst-hit areas are expected to be between Cairns, Townsville, and Bowen, with locations like Palm Island, Ingham, Innisfail, Ayr, Home Hill, and Cardwell in the firing line. Six-hour rainfall totals of 100-180mm are likely, with some areas potentially copping up to 220mm.
Meanwhile, meteorologists are closely monitoring two tropical lows—one off the east coast and another in the Gulf of Carpentaria. While the risk is currently low, there’s a chance both systems could develop into cyclones this weekend.
For now, residents should stay prepared, keep an eye on warnings, and be ready for more wet and wild conditions ahead.
Comments