North Queensland weather: Wet season to continue for another month

North Queensland’s inclement weather is set to persist throughout the first week of school holidays as the unrelenting wet season continues.

Edge Hill State School students Caitlin, 4, and Sierra, 7, from Cairns enjoying the facilities at the covered Rotary Park Playground in Ingham on Monday. Picture: Cameron Bates

North Queensland’s inclement weather is set to persist throughout the first week of school holidays as the unrelenting wet season continues.

Potential showers are expected in the coming days with heavier rainfall much more likely in Townsville, Hinchinbrook and the Burdekin from Thursday.

Inland areas, including Charters Towers, can also expect some wet weather.

Bureau of Meteorology Community Information Officer Daniel Hayes said “fairly fresh” onshore winds would bring showers to primarily coastal areas.

“We may have a bit of a weak trough that moves a little closer to the north-eastern coast later in the week, around Thursday into Friday that may enhance the shower activity.”

The heaviest falls will occur on Friday. Picture: WeatherZone

He said it was not all grey skies during the first week of the school holidays and upcoming weekend.

“They’ll definitely be blue among the showers,” he said, “we’re not looking at any of those bigger falls.”

Families camping at East Leichhardt Dam near Mount Isa over Easter were caught in rapidly rising waters, necessitating a major rescue operation.

Rescue: Easter camping hell as heavens open

Mr Hayes pooh-poohed suggestions of an imminent end to the North Queensland wet season.

“Technically we still have cyclone season through until the end of April, so it’s still possible to get cyclones or tropical lows into May so we have potentially another month or so where we can get something bigger coming through,” he said.

“At this point there is no real systems indicated in the next week as far as major tropical systems go.”

Mr Hayes said the Big Wet had left the region saturated.

“If we do get another major trough or something coming through, obviously we would expected to see fairly rapid responses from our rivers because everything is pretty wet up this way.”

In a final flood warning issued on Monday, BOM said flooding was easing on the Herbert River after rainfall of up to 10mm was recorded across the catchment since 9am on Sunday.

Scattered showers are forecast to continue across the catchment for the next few days,” it said.

“However, these are not expected to significantly affect river levels.”

Mother-of-two Aine Ashton from Cairns said the family had enjoyed a four-night Easter break at BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Townsville.

“It was nice to get out of the rain a bit … it’s been bucketing down the entire weekend in Cairns, it was nice to have a bit of sunshine.”

Ms Ashton was stopped at the Rotary Park Playground in Ingham on the family’s drive back home, saying she was impressed by the facilities, as were kids Caitlin, 4, and Sierra, 7.

“This is actually the first time in all the years that we’ve stopped (at the playground) and it’s got cover, which is perfect, it’s really good,” she said.

“It’s great, the kids can actually still play even though the weather is the way it is, it’s awesome.”

Originally published as North Queensland weather: Wet season to continue for another month