Queenslanders prepare to be cut off with major flooding

Rainfall totals may exceed 100mm come Sunday morning after more heavy downpours across the state.

Residents across the southeast could be waking to 24-hour rainfall totals exceeding 100mm tomorrow after some suburbs copped the heaviest downpours in the state in a weather system moving into the region.

A trough making its way down the coast from northern Queensland dumped more than 60mm of rain on Maroochydore within five hours on Saturday after daily rainfall totals around Capricornia and Wide Bay neared 70mm at several stations.

The trough is expected to move offshore tomorrow after reaching southern corner, with up to 15mm of rain expected for Brisbane on Sunday, 20mm for the Gold Coast and 25mm for the Sunshine Coast.

The weather system leaves behind the risk of flooding with the Bureau of Meteorology on Saturday afternoon issuing a flood watch for catchments between St Lawrence and Brisbane.
“Minor flooding is possible through that flood watch area but we’re not expecting anything worse than that at this stage,” meteorologist Shane Kennedy said.

Residents in other parts of the state are bracing for more significant flooding with the Condamine River at Condamine expected to peak near 9.3m, above its major flood level, tomorrow morning.

Western Downs Regional Council advised residents to prepare with the expectation that the Condamine Bridge could close due to flooding.

Major flooding continued along the Balonne River to Surat with renewed rises expected over the next few days as upstream floodwaters arrive from the Condamine River.

The Balonne River at Dirranbandi may reach the major flood level of 4.8m late in the weekend or early next week with higher levels possible.

Mr Kennedy said residents in southern Queensland including Dirranbandi could be isolated for a few days due to flooding.

“So I think it’s just about preparing and making sure that everyone is loading up with supplies before that happens again,” he said.

“We’ve seen multiple peaks this season around throughout that Condamine and Balonne system.”

Marcia Miller said they got 45.5mm at Midgee near Rockhampton in the last 24 hours.

Moderate to major river flooding is not expected in the southeast and cloud bringing rain to the region is expected to break up by late this morning.

Mr Kennedy said light coastal showers would continue through the week across eastern Queensland with a chance of showers also through central Queensland.

“Next weekend we might finally see a bit more sunshine in the southeast,” he said.