More rain predicted for Mackay, Whitsunday regions

There have been six SES call-outs across the Whitsundays in the past 24 hours as the region is battered by staggering rainfall totals, with more expected in the coming days as the monster weather system shifts south.

The wet weather system sitting over Mackay and Whitsunday regions. Image: BOM

There have been six SES call-outs across the Whitsundays in the past 24 hours as the region is battered by more rain, with more expected in the coming days as the monster weather system shifts south.

Parts of Mackay and the Whitsundays have already been drenched.

Jubilee Pocket was flooded on Thursday with bus services cancelled after the suburb received 182mm of rain.

Whitsunday Transit has announced this morning that services would resume.

Cannonvale and Dingo Beach were hit with 174mm and 128mm of rain respectively and there was also about 110mm of rain in the lower Gregory area.

BOM figures to 7am today indicated upper Finch Hatton had copped a massive 1315mm in the past 20 hours, however the bureau has since confirmed this figure is incorrected and crews are working to fix the issue.

There has been total of 38 SES call-outs in the since Thursday morning with the vast majority in North and Far North Queensland.

Of that total figure, 46 per cent were reported of structural damage predominantly being leading roofs, 46 per cent for flooding which includes sand bag requests and preventive measures, and eight per cent for fallen trees and other requests.

Water over Shute Harbour Road at Hamilton Plains on Thursday.

The Proserpine River remains part of a Bureau of Meteorology flood water, while on Thursday flights from Whitsunday Coast Airport were cancelled as the wild weather caused chaos in the region.

Meteorologist Angus Hines said already flooded parts of the state would continue to be saturated on Friday and into the weekend with the wet weather continuing to lash further south over the Burdekin and Whitsunday region, and north of Mackay.

“This week the heaviest rainfalls have been between Cairns and Townsville but on Thursday the rain coalesced further south,” Mr Hines said.

He said the rain totals had been “remarkable” with 939mm in seven days at Mount Sophia, 900mm at Clyde Road and more than 600mm in nearby locations.

“It has caused significant flooding, road closures, detours and damage, with more on the way,” Mr Hines said.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Johnathan How said the chance of a tropical low in the North Coral Sea turning into a cyclone had reduced, but that the Bureau was still monitoring a low in The Gulf of Carpentaria.

“It does still have a 25 per cent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone from Sunday.”

Originally published as More rain predicted for Mackay, Whitsunday regions