Weather Gold Coast: BOM cancels severe weather warnings, flood warnings remain in place
All Gold Coast beaches will reopen on Thursday after a clean-up following the marathon storm event across the city.
Gold Coast
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ALL Gold Coast beaches will reopen on Thursday after a clean-up following the marathon storm event across the city.
A city spokesperson late on Wednesday afternoon said the council’s lifeguard unit had made the call to put the beach flags back up on Thursday morning.
“We’ve had a review on the beaches. They are ready to go,” the spokesperson said.
“The swell has improved. There wasn’t a lot of debris. Today there had been a bit of an inshore swell. But they will be open tomorrow. They’ve cleaned up well and look really good.”
All severe weather warnings were cancelled for the Gold Coast earlier in the day.
The Bureau of Meteorology made the announcement early on Wednesday morning, as council cancelled the Watch and Act alert for the northern Gold Coast.
EARLIER
A “WATCH and act” emergency alert remains in place for northern Gold Coast residents and flood warnings continue for most of the city’s rivers and creeks.
Overnight several people were injured in a car rollover in Carrara, including one man who suffered a severe arm injury.
He and four others - all with minor injuries - were taken to Gold Coast University Hospital following the Nerang Broadbeach Road incident.
Shortly after 3.30pm on Tuesday thousands of residents in areas including Pimpama, Ormeau and Jacobs Well received text messages warning them of the possibility that they may need to move to higher ground if conditions continue to deteriorate.
Council also said areas such as Wongawallan may be affected.
“Continued heavy rainfall may cause moderate flooding in coming hours at low lying properties near rivers and creeks on the Gold Coast, north of Pimpama,” the message read.
“Monitor the situation. If under threat move to higher ground. In a life-threatening emergency call triple zero. For flood damage call SES on 1 3 2 500.”
Council said suburbs that may be affected include:
- Cedar Creek
- Kingsholme
- Luscombe
- Wongawallan
- Alberton
- Gilberton
- Jacobs Well
- Norwell
- Ormeau
- Ormeau Hills
- Southern Moreton Islands
- Stapylton
- Steiglitz
- Woongoolba
- Yatala
Council advised that city sandbagging stations will close at 6pm tonight and reopen tomorrow (Wednesday 24 March) at 7am at the following locations:
- 232 Old Pacific Highway, Pimpama (next to City of Gold Coast Coomera Depot)
- 46 Boyd St, Bilinga (use the service road, next to the City of Gold Coast Tugun Depot)
- 61 Hutchinson St, Burleigh Heads, (Reedy Creek Waste and Recycling Centre)
The warning came after police said they are braced for “any eventuality” as rain continues to pound the Gold Coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicted heavy rainfall would continue throughout Tuesday evening and into the night and warned flooding is continuing in the Nerang, Pimpama and Coomera Rivers.
In Coolangatta, the heavy rain caused a small land slippage at Kirra Hill, causing rocks to tumble onto the road below, which led to one lane being closed to traffic.
A City Council spokesperson said the lane will remain closed overnight and the area will be reassessed Wednesday morning to decide when the damage will be cleared and the lane reopened.
Warnings are also in place for the Mudgeeraba, Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks.
FULL LIST OF SOUTHEAST QLD ROAD CLOSURES
The Bureau said six-hourly rainfall rates of 100 to 150mm were possible.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokeswoman said there were 250 SES call-outs in the Gold Coast region in the 24 hours to 5am.
The spokeswoman said no swift water action was required during that period.
Gold Coast Superintendent Rhys Wildman said police were bracing for “any eventuality” as the wild weather continued.
“This afternoon will be another challenging afternoon with the 100mm-plus of rain expected, localised flooding and peak hour conditions,” the patrol services boss said.
“It’s going to be more dangerous on the roads and if you don’t need to be driving, don’t.”
Supt Wildman said to “leave early” where possible and drive to the road conditions.
He said Gold Coast officers were currently patrolling traffic-related incidents and flooded areas.
The senior officer today also said motorists were continuing to ignore warnings and drive through flooded waters, with some vehicles being washed away.
“It is still happening. We are still seeing people taking unnecessary risks with their own lives,” Supt Wildman told the Bulletin.
He told residents: “Please do not enter flooded waters. You are putting yourself and emergency services who have to rescue you at risk.”
Severe weather warning for heavy rain areas over #SEQld, with 6-hourly rainfall rates of 100 to 150mm possible in this region today. Flood warnings and a flood watch are also current. See https://t.co/XOkQ4JDDvd for up-to-date information. #QldWeatherpic.twitter.com/7YbpwEawFI
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) March 23, 2021
Supt Wildman said nose-to-tail traffic incidents had decreased since yesterday, but called on motorists to be “patient” and factor in additional time for road closures and traffic hold-ups.
He again called for people to maintain a “four-second gap” between any car travelling ahead.
“Whatever you have planned for your travel time, increase it so you are not driving dangerously on the roads and rushing to get where you need to be. The situation on the roads can change very, very quickly,” he warned.
Supt Wildman praised all police and emergency services who have been working in difficult conditions for a number of days.
“I am really proud of the team. From a policing perspective, when the job needs to be done our staff get out there and do it. We had a group isolated at Mt Tamborine yesterday for a couple of hours and they just got in and did the job,” he said.
“We are planning for any eventuality tonight whatever the weather and we are looking forward to things easing tomorrow. Recovery will be the next phase.”
Meanwhile, police travelling on the M1 on Monday night were lucky to escape injury after a tyre smashed through their patrol car windscreen at Helensvale.
The tyre was believed to have come from a light truck or a similar vehicle.
No one was injured in the incident but the vehicle was damaged.
Earlier in the night, a woman in her 20s was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition with shoulder and neck pain after a two-vehicle crash on Parklands Dr and Smith St at Southport about 7pm.
It followed a multi-vehicle crash an hour earlier at Southport where three patients were taken to hospital in stable conditions.
■ TRAFFIC lights at key Gold Coast intersections were out at peak school traffic time, with wet roads and poor visibility increasing the hazard.
At 8am, lights were flashing amber at the major intersection outside Gold Coast University Hospital at Parklands Dr, where the light rail crosses busy Olsen Ave.
They were also out at busy intersections of Central St and Government Rd at Labrador and outside Harbour Town at Oxley Dr.
Heavy downpours continue
GOLD COAST residents are being warned to stay off the roads after the Bureau of Meteorology warned another round of heavy downpours will hit the city on Monday night and into Tuesday.
The Bureau said a strong upper trough combined with deep moist airflow was expected to bring widespread areas of heavy rainfall and flooding across western and southern Queensland from Monday afternoon, extending to the Gold Coast early on Tuesday.
“Heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding is forecast to develop about the eastern Darling Downs and Granite Belts, and the Southeast Coast districts tonight and on Tuesday morning,” warns the BOM.
GOLD COAST STREET EVACUATED AS LANDSLIP PUTS HOUSE IN DANGER
“The situation is likely to pose a serious risk to already affected and flooded areas. In some areas, the situation may become life threatening.
“Six-hourly rainfall totals in excess of 100-150 mm are likely with locally heavier falls possible due to thunderstorms.”
BOM said the Gold Coast is among the areas which could be affected and issued flood warnings for the Pimpama and Coomera Rivers, Nerang River, Mudgeeraba River, and Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks.
Almost all of the river heights in the region stretching north from Tallebudgera to Coomera were categorised as rising around 3.45pm.
Since 9am a further 10-70mm of locally intense falls have been recorded in the area following a weekend which recorded 60-230mm falls depending on the catchment.
Significant rain expected in the southern interior from today as a trough moves into SW #WesternQld. Heavy rain possible across the south as this new system moves E. The current #SEQ coastal trough will make way for the western rain tomorrow. Forecasts: https://t.co/d8hW8TyyRwpic.twitter.com/ixOrd8V4kZ
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) March 22, 2021
Mayor Tom Tate said the latest weather warning was a further wake-up call for Gold Coasters.
“This morning’s high tide was not significant enough to hold back the river flows which has been great news for our city,’’ he said.
“We want the water to get down from the catchments, into the major rivers and out to sea as quickly as possible. This afternoon (3pm) is the next high tide but that is only predicted to be .92 metres.
“Again, this will allow the rivers to keep flowing out to sea but given the BOM alert just now, the next 24 hours is critical.
“City crews and the SES are doing what they can. My best advice is: if it’s flooded, forget it.
“This morning, we had 47 local roads closed but this number changes hourly. All beaches are closed and will remain so throughout today.
“Our thoughts are with those in NSW where the floodwaters are at historic highs. We will respond to any calls for support across the border and we wish everyone in NSW well as they battle these conditions.’’
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged people to stay off the roads as a “severe weather event” was set to unfold.
“We have already heard reports of the landslips that are occurring, especially around the Gold Coast Hinterland.
“The bureau has advised us at our meeting following cabinet that they expect the weather to increase overnight and spread further out into the southeast of our state as well so we want everyone to be on alert over the next 24 hours.”
The latest weather warning comes after torrential rain across the Gold Coast forced the closure of the city’s waste and recycling centres as well as Wet’n’Wild and Dreamworld — with localised flash flooding at roads in Tallebudgera, Pimpama, Mudgeeraba, Carrara, Worongary, Robina and Currumbin Valley.
The Gold Coast City Council has closed its waste and recycling centres for Monday morning and reopened its sandbagging stations at Pimpama, Bilinga and Burleigh Heads. The city’s beaches remain closed.
Gold Coast State Emergency Services duty officer Leeanne Woolard told the Bulletin there were about 100 outstanding rain-related call-outs in the city as of this morning.
She said most calls to SES for help overnight had been related to flooded homes, blocked gutters and driveways washing away.
“Trees are starting to come down today,” Ms Woolard said.
She said damage to homes following the rain event was “fairly widespread” but there had been significant flooding overnight at Oxenford.
Volunteer Coast Guard Lyle Stevenson said there was little activity at the Seaway this morning, with most boaties hunkering down and waiting out the wild weather.
Police Superintendent Rhys Wildman said many police crews were guarding flooded roads this morning.
“Unfortunately we are still seeing people driving through flood waters,” he said.
“It’s disappointing and dangerous.
“What people don’t realise is even with a 4WD, only a small part of a car’s tyres actually connects with the road and it can take only a moment to be washed away.”
Supt Wildman said motorists who continue to drive through floodwaters put their own lives at risk but they were also putting rescuers in danger.
“The old adage does ring true that if it’s flooded just don’t drive through it,” he said.
Police are also reminding motorists to increase the “two second gap” to “four seconds” when driving behind another vehicle.
Supt Wildman said officers had attended a number of traffic crashes during the wet weather across the weekend, including a four-vehicle crash at the Smith St exit on the M1 southbound.
“We are really just asking people to drive to the conditions,” he said.
All beaches are closed on the Gold Coast today and Chief Lifeguard Chris Maynard said they were expected to remain that way tomorrow.
“It’s not so much that there are big swells but there is a lot of debris around with water flowing from the creeks and the flow-off effect makes it too risky for swimmers,” he said.
GALLERY — WILD WEATHER ACROSS GOLD COAST IN PHOTOS
Retired veterinarian Anthony Benjamin was one of many Gold Coasters who tried to save their properties from flood waters on Monday.
The 68-year-old spent the day moving furniture, ripping up carpet and sandbagging doors to prevent a deluge damaging his Mudgeeraba family home that he’s lived in for 21 years.
“On Sunday we weren’t really expecting it to hit us so hard and we weren’t that prepared,” he said.
“We got a fair bit of water through the house. It was coming up drain pipes and getting through under doors.
“There was probably a good inch of water coverage, which I’ve never seen since living here.”
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall was predicted to continue for the Gold Coast across Monday, with the potential for severe thunderstorms to arise, warned the Bureau of Meteorology.
On Monday morning forecaster Kima Long said while a severe weather warning had been cancelled, as of 4am, the risk was not completely gone, particularly on the back of some pretty wet weather across the city.
FLASHBACK: WILD GOLD COAST WEATHER OF THE 1990S
She said from 9am on March 21 Mt Tamborine had 239mm, Upper Springbrook had 212mm and Burleigh Waters 106mm of rain.
As of 10pm Sunday night Queensland Fire and Emergency Services had received more than 263 requests for help from across the state in a 24-hour period, reminding residents “if it’s flooded forget it”.
MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE TO GOLD COAST WEATHER
Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, Mark Ryan, said with the forecast of more rain over the coming days, drivers needed to exercise caution.
“No destination warrants taking an unnecessary risk that leads to tragedy,” said Mr Ryan.
“If you can, avoid driving until the weather clears up, and if you get caught in a quick moving storm or rain event, drive to conditions and pull over if you think it’s unsafe.
“Too often, we see impatient drivers head into flood waters and stall the car, putting rescuers’ lives at risk as well as their own. Don’t be that person.”
Ms Long said it was likely to be wet until around Wednesday, but that from Tuesday rain a cold front would move towards the south east and there was likely to be more settled conditions.
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