Brisbane weather: Residents told to prepare for ‘violent downpours’ in aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily
Residents in the southeast are being warned to prepare for “violent downpours” over already soaked catchments, with more than 100,000 sandbags ready in Brisbane. But before the rains arrive, parts of the South East are facing an extreme heatwave.
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South East Queenslanders are being warned to prepare for “flash flooding” and “heavier storms” than usual, as the state’s north braces for the impact of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.
Parts of the South East corner are bracing for up to 100mm of rain over the weekend.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner urged residents to be aware of flooding as already saturated catchments may be hit with “violent downpours”.
“There’s thunderstorms coming … the ground is still absolutely saturated and that means potentially a risk of flash flooding in certain areas because the rain is not going to soak into the ground it will run straight off,” he said.
He said emergency services and authorities were ready and urged residents to also be prepared for the unexpected.
“These storms can be quite violent at short notice, starting on Friday, we’ve heard across the long weekend,’” he said.
“If you get a really strong downpour in a particular catchment that can potentially cause some flash flooding in low lying areas.
“So, we hope obviously that this is one of those things that turns out to be an anticlimax, that’s what we always hope but we must be ready.”
Bureau of Meteorologist Laura Bokel said the South East would be affected indirectly as Kirrily hits the Far North.
“In terms of the South East forecast this long weekend we are urging people to stay on top of weather warnings,” she said.
“This system has the potential to produce heavier showers and heavier storms than we see in the south east so flash flooding is a risk.
“In terms of timings it will be around that Sunday period that we will see those storms and showers producing more rainfall and potentially into Monday and early next week.”
EXTREME HEATWAVE WARNING ISSUED
Before the rains arrive, however, a severe heatwave warning has been issued for much of Queensland with some parts expected to battle extreme conditions in the next few days.
Birdsville is expecting a maximum temperature of 49C on Thursday after an overnight minimum of 32C as the temperatures climb.
On Wednesday night, the Bureau issued the weather warning, forecasting the severe conditions to last until the weekend.
An extreme heatwave warning has been issued for the Channel Country while a severe heatwave warning has been issued for Herbert and Lower Burdekin, Central Coast, Whitsundays, Capricornia, Central Highlands, Coalfields, Central West, North West, Maranoa, Warrego, Darling Downs, Granite Belt, Wide Bay and Burnett and Southeast Coast districts.
Maximum temperatures are expected to be in the high 30s to low 40s with overnight minimums only expected to be in the low 30s.
Residents in Bowen, Charleville, Dalby, Gladstone, Goondiwindi, Longreach, Mackay, Mount Isa, Roma and Winton are urged to be extra cautious and recognise the signs of heat stress.
SANDBAGS AT THE READY IN BRISBANE
Mr Schrinner said there are more than 100,000 sandbags packed and ready to be collected from depots at Darra, Lota, Morningside, Newmarket and Zillmere for free.
Council’s Breakfast Creek Green Bridge Community Day, which was scheduled for this Saturday at Newstead, has been postponed due to the warnings.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the city was at “response level three” with sandbag stations opening amid fears TC Kirrily could bring torrential rain and destructive winds.
He said council would consider cancelling citizenship ceremonies and recommended people made plans for the worst if forecasts did not change.
“We are watching the Bureau of Meteorology very closely. It appears that it can arrive here late Friday,” he said.
Further north Redland Council Mayor Karen Williams said council was working to clear stormwater drains to reduce the risk of flooding with at least 120mm expected for her area.
Mayor Tate said his council would be in contact with Seqwater about whether water needed to be released from Hinze Dam.
Sky News Weather Meteorologist Rob Sharpe said heavy and intense rainfall was possible.
“When we’re talking about this rain and flood event that continues, there is a high degree of uncertainty about where this event will go,” he said.
“So I’m quite confident that we’ll have a rain and flood event of some form, which parts of the country see the worst of it is very hard to say at this stage.”
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