Gold Coast Wet weather: Everything you need to know

Motorists who removed “road closed” signs on flooded Gold Coast streets have been slammed as “selfish” and “dangerous” by Mayor Tom Tate. FULL DETAILS

Motorists who removed “road closed” signs on flooded Gold Coast streets have been slammed as “selfish” and “dangerous” by Mayor Tom Tate.

The city has been left sodden after a deluge of between 150mm and 200mm hit the region on Saturday night.

The already full river and creeks systems had risen, with floodwaters closing at least six roads, including Hardy’s Road, Mudgeeraba.

Mr Tate said a driver had been caught removing the barriers on that road and driving through the floodwaters.

“It’s so dangerous,” he said.

Gold Coast City Council Mayor Tom Tate has called motorists who move road closed signs "selfish".

Mr Tate added that even if that driver was in a four-wheel drive, the next car that came through might be smaller.

He said the driver who removed the barriers had been caught on CCTV and the footage was forwarded to police.

“Each time we look at this you see just how selfish those people are and we will do something about it,” he said.

Mr Tate said the rain was expected to continue on the Gold Coast until midnight on Sunday.

He said low tides meant it was unlikely that any floodwaters would breach Gold Coast homes.

Beaches across the city has been closed due to dangerous surf conditions.

Three sandbagging stations are open including at Old Pacific Hwy, Pimpama, Boyd St, Bilinga and Hutchinson St, Burleigh Heads.

About 4000 sandbags have been distributed across the Gold Coast.

Mr Tate said it was concerning the weather event had caused waters to rise so quickly so early in the wet season.

“We are absolutely taking this as a trial run,” he said.

Mr Tate said it was clear that La Nina was coming for a third year in a row but the disaster management unit was experienced and prepared.

‘Soaked’: 300mm downpour hammers Coast

THE Gold Coast has been soaked overnight as a 300mm downpour hit southeast Queensland.

The Gold Coast’s disaster management centre was activated on Saturday evening and beaches are expected to be closed this morning,

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates said the rainfall had been “significant”, with around 90mm falling on the Gold Coast itself in the previous 24 hours.

“The City will be impacted (today) with an expected peak impact around midday, before the system continues to move south tomorrow evening,” she said in a statement late on Sunday evening.

“The Local Disaster Management Group is at lean forward (status) and the Disaster Management Centre is activated tonight.

“The Mayor and I will meet again for a further update at 10am (today).”

‘Brace yourself’: Mayor warns impending wild weather will ‘severely impact’ Coast

THE MAYOR has issued a dire warning ahead of impending wild weather, urging Gold Coasters to ‘brace themselves’ for ‘severe impact’.

He advised all residents that extremely heavy rainfall of up to 200 to 300mm would bucket down across the Coast as early as 6am on Sunday.

It comes as greater South East Queensland copped a hiding overnight, with 378mm overnight on Friday in some areas – leading to a number of emergency alerts and life-threatening flash flooding.

Mayor Tom Tate together with police chief Superintendent Craig Hanlan and Fire Inspector Robert Bloss launches the annual Get Ready campaign in Surfers Paradise urging locals to prepare for the storm season. Picture Glenn Hampson

Mayor Tom Tate said on Saturday: “Now is the time to prepare. We have provided 1500 sandbags from our three locations and we are pre filling more bags now.”

“The advice is that between 200 and 300mm of rain could fall from 6am tomorrow. We expect severe impact,” he said.

“Get on to our city website for location of our three sandbag stations and ensure your home disaster kit is up to date.

The Coast is set to cop a hiding on Sunday morning. Picture Glenn Hampson

“It’s coming and it’s going to be wet. Brace yourselves and get ready.”

The Mayor said on Friday morning it was “all hands on deck” as the city was placed on high alert and “we’re on top of it but mother nature is unpredictable”.

A hazardous surf warning has been issued across the Gold Coast, as well as Fraser Island Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

Originally published as Gold Coast Wet weather: Everything you need to know