Wet week ahead for Gympie as weather swells

UP to 70mm could fall in Gympie over the next week, while talk of tropical lows forming in the north increase.

GYMPIE is facing a wet week that could look anything like scattered showers to heavy falls on the back of thunderstorms.

Up to 70mm could fall between today and Thursday, depending if and where thunderstorms hit, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Grace Legge said.

A surface trough expected to remain inland of Gympie could deliver showers for most of the week, while westerly winds will drive moisture in from Monday and Tuesday, she said.

“(Rainfall totals) will depend on where we see the showers and thunderstorms developing,” Ms Legge said.

“But we could see between 50-60mm in a short time.”

Some online weather sites this week have pointed at an increased potential for tropical low development in northern and central Queensland next week, that could bring heavy rain and flooding to south east Queensland.

The BOM forecaster said while the tropics were becoming more active with the risk of lows becoming embedded in them, it was too early to forecast it.

This week a report was released by Insurance Australia Group and the US National Center for Atmospheric Research, warning of an increased risk of tropical cyclones in southeast Queensland.

“The report highlights that one of the key risks facing Australia as the world warms towards +3°C is tropical cyclones travelling further south with higher intensity,” IAG natural perils executive manager Mark Leplastrier said.

“This means that parts of South East Queensland and North East New South Wales will start to experience greater devastation from strong winds and torrential rainfall due to cyclones.”

to experience greater devastation from strong winds and torrential rainfall due to cyclones.”

Originally published as