Cold and dry March recorded in Dalby as heavy rain lashes parts of Queensland

While large parts of the state have recorded heavy rainfall, Dalby has recorded a drier and colder than average March. Here’s what to expect for Easter.

Despite recent rainfall Dalby has experienced a drier than average first 26 days of March and is expected to remain below the average monthly rainfall.

In the first 26 days of the month Dalby Airport recorded a rainfall of 55.4mm with a majority of the rain falling on just two days, with 22mm recorded on the 5th and 16.2mm on the 25th.

This still remains far below Dalby Airport’s March average of 64.9mm since 1992.

In the first 26 days of March 2023 there had already been 86.2mm of rain with a torrential downpouring of 42.6mm on the 12th.

It has also been a cooler than average month with a mean temperature of 24.3C compared to the all-time average of 30.3C.

Dalby residents can expect the recent rainfall to subside over the Easter long weekend with a temperature of 26C and a 40 per cent chance of 5mm of rain on Thursday.

The temperature will then sit at pleasant 28C from Friday to Monday with no rainfall expected.

This week rainfall has hammered large parts of South East Queensland, due to a main feed of moisture being caused by a low level trough with onshore winds blowing in from the east.

WeatherZone meteorologist Joel Pippard said there was also an upper trough above Queensland around 5.5km up in the atmosphere with a feed of tropical moisture all the way from northern Western Australia.

Bureau of Meteorologist senior meteorologist Steve Hadley said while grey skies and heavy falls would disappear by Friday, a high pressure ridge developing over eastern Queensland would bring strong winds and unfavourable sailing conditions.

“There will be patchy showers on the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Scenic Rim and Toowoomba from Thursday onwards, while widespread showers remain in Wide Bay Burnett and Capricornia until Friday as the cloud band retreats,” he said.