Widespread Qld flood warnings to remain in place for days
Storms are continuing to dump intense rain across parts of Queensland, with slow-moving systems moving east across southern parts of the state. Heavy rainfall earlier today has sent a wall of water towards QLD-NSW border communities. SEE THE LATEST WEATHER
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Flood warnings across Queensland will remain in place for days to come as parts of the state copped “a month’s worth of rain in just over an hour”.
River systems along the Queensland and NSW border are swollen with a wall of water approaching several border communities.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for people in parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego and Darling Downs and Granite Belt Forecast Districts.
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Goondiwindi, Miles, Gayndah, Mundubbera, Eidsvold and Mungindi.
Cooranga, north-west of Toowoomba, received 88mm in one hour to 4.15pm.
Earlier the BoM said “isolated falls” around Booba Sands east of Goondiwindi reached 113mm while Duaringa recorded 68mm of rain in one hour to 1.45pm Sunday.
Large hail 3-4cm in size was also reported at Muckadilla.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Felim Hanniffy said storm activity was “isolated but intense” across the Darling Downs overnight.
He said Brigalow Bridge and Booba Sands were among the top rainfall for the region.
“Brigalow Bridge received 120mm while further south in Booba Sands 110mm fell in just over an hour,” he said.
Mr Hanniffy said the forecast for today is “isolated in nature” with the risk of storm activity and “localised heavy rain” particularly across the western Darling Downs.
A severe thunderstorm warnings for large parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Darling Downs and Granite Belt forecast districts issued on Sunday morning has been cancelled.
Flash flooding forced the closure of several roads, including the Mount Lindesay Highway border crossing and the Cunningham Highway at Yelarbon, while campers near Mt Barney were cut off due to rising floodwaters.
The Little Nerang Dam is spilling.
Police issued a stark warning to motorists as emergency services workers were forced to put their own lives at risk as people in vehicles gambled with rapidly moving floodwaters.
Swift water rescue crews were busy in the early hours of Saturday as nine people, including a six-week-old baby, were pulled from floodwaters near the NSW border.
Darling Downs District Superintendent Danny Shaw said with more rain predicted, now was not the time to be complacent and take chances.
“As we can see from these incidents, flash flooding can occur very quickly and without any notice, even on roads that you usually travel on without any issues,” Supt Shaw said.
The weather bureau on Saturday released a number of flood warnings that will continue for southern and central Queensland as residents brace for potentially severe thunderstorms.
Major flooding has impacted several regions across Queensland as torrential rain unloaded more than 100mm within hours early on Saturday.
Bureau meteorologist Kimba Wong said already soaked ground conditions across central Queensland made the region susceptible to ongoing flooding as even moderate falls could overwhelm catchments.
“The warning will be ongoing until at least the middle of next week so we urge residents to pay close attention as the situation can intensify quickly,” she said.
The southeast was battered by isolated heavy falls and much of the region will continue to receive showers and overcast conditions throughout Sunday.
The wet conditions loomed over the Gold Coast for much of the past week, putting a dampener on the mood for recent graduates celebrating Schoolies.
Clermont’s Crystal Williams says she required a helicopter for groceries after recording 260mm in just days as rising waters cut off the town.
“Rain is always welcome, hopefully we don’t get too much more in the coming days,” Ms Williams said.
The bureau said wet and overcast conditions would remain for the southeast on Sunday and Monday before more severe thunderstorms were tipped from Tuesday.
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