Southeast weather: More rain expected as cloud band dumps a month’s worth in three days

More than 100mm of rain has been dumped across parts of southeast Queensland in the past 48 hours as forecasters predict some areas will have a month’s worth of rain by the end of today.

More than 100mm of rain has been dumped across parts of southeast Queensland in the past 48 hours with up to 80mm more possible to fall today.

Further inland, meteorologists say some areas have received unverified record-breaking rain for this dry time of year.

A substantial cloud band moving across the state has led to heavy falls over the Central Highlands, Wide Bay, and Sunshine Coast.

Bureau of Meteorology Forecaster Peter Markworth said steady rain had fallen over the past two days and would continue up until midnight tonight.

“You’ll be seeing regions get their average or exceeding their average rainfall for the month of July, even though we are just starting it,” Mr Markworth said.

Since 9am Friday, Moy Pocket in the Sunshine Coast recorded 68mm.

Mr Markworth said some patches including Currumbin Creek and Picnic Creek have seen more than 100mm fall since Thursday.

In the past 48 hours, 79mm has also fallen in Middlemount in the Scenic Rim and Pheasant Creek in Wide Bay received 71mm.

The rain is expected to move offshore from about midnight tonight, but Mr Markworth said the bulk of the southeast should see between 15-45mm fall through today.

Isolated totals between 50-80mm are possible today about the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay, and Capricornia regions.

“Further rainfall is expected across our coastal regions but by the time we get to midnight the chance of any one particular location seeing that rain does dramatically drop,” he said.

Fairly sunny conditions are forecast for the majority of the state from Sunday and Monday, bringing cooler and drier conditions.

There is a chance of a thunderstorm today about central eastern and southeast districts.

Meteorologist Kimba Wong, 27, this afternoon said parts of Central Queensland and surrounds had also received some good rainfall overnight with some records potentially broken.

“In a line from Moranbah to the Sunshine Coast we’ve seen rainfall totals more like 20 to 50mm with some more isolated pockets seeing between 60 to 80mm,” she said.

“Totals like this are unusual for this time of year … because it’s dry.

Boondooma Dam, outside of Kingaroy, has received 52mm of rain from 9am Friday to 9am today. Picture: Madeline Grace

“It’s probably been the best rainfall a couple of the locations have seen all year.”

Miss Wong said Woodgate received 62mm in the 24 hours to 9am today.

“The last time it rained that much in a single day in Woodgate was in December 2020, but the last time in rained that much in a day for July was in 2008 and they have 51 years of data there,” she said.

Areas northwest of Kingaroy, such as Proston and the Boondooma Dam, received 43mm and 52mm in the past 24 hours respectively.

Miss Wong said both could potentially be new July records for the areas, but that data was yet to be verified.

24 HR RAINFALL TOTALS TO 9AM TODAY

Brisbane 18mm

Youngs Crossing 36mm

Warner 42mm

Mt Glorious 37mm

Granchester 54mm

Moy Pocket, Sunshine Coast 70mm

Oakey 10-30mm

Binna Burra 35mm

Bribie Island 35mm

Gympie 32mm

Woodgate 63mm

Kingaroy 38mm