Warwick, Stanthorpe on flood watch as storms, heavy rain predicted

Incredible amounts of rain are expected to fall in the Warwick and Stanthorpe areas in coming days, with experts warning the intense weather system is likely to cause major flooding across the entire region. Full details here:

Heavy rain flooded the Condamine River Walk in Warwick earlier this year (Photo: Zilla Gordon).

Warwick and the wider Southern Downs region has been placed on flood watch, as significant rainfall is predicted over coming days.

Up to 15mm of rain is expected to fall in Warwick on Wednesday, with up to 140mm across Thursday and Friday, with major flooding ‘likely’, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Similar falls are expected across the Stanthorpe region, with up to 135mm predicted across the three-day period.

The Granite Belt has also been placed on flood watch.

BOM said a complex low-pressure system was behind the intense rainy period, bringing an outbreak of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall expected to cause flooding.

It follows a wet week on the Southern Downs, with more than 40mm of rain being dumped on the Rose City overnight Sunday.

“Parts of the region are wet following recent rainfall with further showers and thunderstorms over the next few days expected to saturate most catchments,” a BOM spokesman said.
“Heavy rainfall is expected from late Wednesday with the heaviest rainfall expected across the Darling Downs and Granite Belt region on Thursday.

“Very intense rainfall rates are possible for some areas particularly in association with thunderstorms, which is likely to cause localised flooding.”
River level rises in the Granite Belt and Darling Downs region are expected from Wednesday with major flooding possible from Thursday. Widespread minor flooding is likely to begin across the remainder of the area from as early as Thursday with further rises expected in association with heavier areas of rainfall.