380mm deluge: Qld’s hottest spring as 20-year rainfall records smashed

Queensland has sweltered through its hottest spring temperatures in over a century with parts of Queensland recording two months of rain in just four week - smashing rainfall records.

Queensland has sweated through its hottest spring in 100 years as parts of the state had rainfall records smashed.

Sky News meteorologist Alison Osborne said 11 separate weather stations across the state had recorded the highest spring rainfall totals ever for those areas.

Aussie Towing vision of flooding on the M1 southbound to the Gold Coast at Loganholme.

Kalbar State School, Capalaba Water Treat, Eagle Farm Racecourse, Archerfield Airport and Cape Moreton Lighthouse recorded their highest total rainfall for at least 20 years in November.

It comes after streets rapidly turned into rivers on Sunday as more than five times the forecast amount of rain fell in some parts, catching thousands off guard.

Hugh McDowell, senior climatologists Bureau of Meteorologist said some parts of Queensland recorded two months of rain in the month of November.

“On average Queensland gets 1500mm through the year, you’re looking at two months worth of rain and in November almost three times the average November rainfall in Coolangatta. They normally get 115mm and they get 380mm,” Mr McDowell said.

Bureau of Meteorology Felim Hanniffy said Brisbane average rainfall for December is 132mm and in half an hour on Sunday Brisbane received almost 40 per cent of its December average.

IN PHOTOS: Qld’s wet and wild November

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The reality of Sunday’s storms was far more extreme, with multiple areas south and west of Brisbane copped more than 100mm, with some receiving more than 200mm.

Upper Springbrook on the Gold Coast topped the rainfall totals, with a whopping 266mm, while other significant falls occurred at Upper Tallebudgera (226mm), Little Nerang Dam (216mm) and Rosewood near Ipswich (123mm).

“Sunday we saw a severe thunderstorm pop up and that dropped heavy rainfall over the city, Brisbane’s Rosewood had 57mm in 30 minutes, Holland Park 53mm in 30 minutes, Brisbane City 51mm in 30 minutes,” Mr Hanniffy said.

Flash flooding in Thompson Estate reserve in Stones Corner. Pic: Lyndon Mechielsen

“All that heavy rainfall came around 12 and 1pm, and suburbs were inundated by the fact we had high moisture and high due points and slow moving storms.”

Queensland has also recorded it’s hottest spring, with the highest maximum temperatures above average across the state.

“We saw the highest minimum and mean temperatures on record across the state. By average temperature it was the warmest spring we’ve got on record for Queensland,” Mr McDowell said.

Mean minimum temperatures in spring were very much above average for most of the state, with large areas recording their hottest on record in the far west, central interior and in the southeast.

The hottest spring day in Queensland was recorded in Birdsville Airport, with the mercury hitting a sweltering 45.2C.

“We’re seeing an increasing frequency of extreme heat days, just as we go through time, and the climate is consistently warming. That’s likely why we’ve seen these highest record temperatures,” Mr McDowell said.

1/122024: Flash flooding in Hanlon Park , rapidly flooded around 10 cars, as police and fire and rescue check the cars are empty, Stones Corner, Brisbane. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

“1770 what had the highest maximum temperatures on average throughout spring new record 28.2C, previous record 27.5C,” Mr McDowell said.

Weatherzone said the major contributor to the spring temperature record has been the minimum temperatures, which averaged 17.2C over the spring season, and were elevated by cloud cover, precipitation, and most notably, humidity

“South East Queensland was getting up there, and heading into the wet season, and Singapore would have due points of 24, as we were around 24 to 25 mark over the weekend in some parts, along with moisture it was very humid, the air felt very heavy,” Mr Hanniffy said.