Cairns weather: Heavy rainfall and flood warning as towns cop over 100mm

While severe weather warnings remain in place for the Far North, the Bureau of Meteorology has explained why the region hasn’t received the forecast 300mm, and what’s in store when the system intensifies over the weekend.

UPDATE FRIDAY 2PM: A SLOW-MOVING surface trough is making it harder for meteorologists to forecast, but there is one guarantee – the Far North won't be seeing a whole lot of sunshine this weekend.

Warnings of rainfall totals up to 300mm weren’t experienced anywhere along the Far North coast, with Mareeba receiving only 5mm on Thursday. However BOM meteorologist Brooke Pagel said the trough was moving slower than expected.

“It’s just shifting offshore,” Ms Pagel said.

“We were thinking it may have drifted a little bit more onshore on Thursday, but it’s remained offshore so the heaviest of falls had been those coastal fringes rather than spreading inland.”

QLD_CP_NEWS_JOBSFNQ_17APR22

The Bureau’s initial forecast had triple-figure rainfall totals forecast for much of the Far North coast on Friday, however at midday, no gauge in the Cairns Regional Council area had received above 50mm, while in the Cassowary Coast Upper Murray Rd near Tully had recorded 61mm.

Ms Pagel said most of the heavy falls had been from the Mission Beach area down to Townsville, but it was expected the trough would move north over the weekend.

“The latest modelling had a strong signal saying that the rain would ease off on Saturday, but still up to 70mm, but from Monday it’s really going to ramp up again, looking potentially up to 120mm.

“We’re seeing the trough move north of Innisfail on Saturday, so whether that’s going to interact with another system next week and cause those heavy falls, or that might be the potential of it shifting it back south as well. But it is sticking around.”

Ms Pagel said a weakening La Nina system meant the current weather event wouldn’t be the last of the “late wet season.”

“So we still are expecting above average rainfall and above average temperatures over the next few weeks.”

A Cairns Airport spokesman said on midday Friday staff had been monitoring the weather situation which at the time was “calm” while the heavier conditions “appeared to be further south.”

He said no flights had been cancelled as a result of the weather.

“We’re constantly monitoring the weather, but from a passenger perspective, their airline would be their normal point of contact if there’s any change to their flight,” he said.

The rainfall which hasn’t had “out of the ordinary” impacts on Cairns, had also left tour operators unscathed with a Cairns Marlin Marina spokesman confirming on Friday “it was business as usual” for all the boats.

FAR NORTH RAINFALL TOTALS FROM 9AM TO 2PM, APRIL 22

Cairns Airport - 2.6mm

Gordonvale - 1mm

Clyde Rd (Babinda) - 32mm

Saltwater Creek (Innisfail) - 50mm

Mourilyan Mill - 46mm

Upper Murray Rd (Tully) - 61mm

UPDATE FRIDAY 7AM: THE Bureau of Meteorology in it latest severe weather update on Friday is warning of heavy rain including six-hourly totals of up to 300mm for parts of the Far North.

The latest forecast predicted a surface trough to deepen and remain slow-moving today leading to an enhancement of moist and unstable onshore flow, before shifting north of Cairns early on Saturday.

“Uncertainty exists whether the trough will move back onshore and produce widespread heavy rainfall with locally intense falls,” the update read.

“Although a decreasing threat, localised intense rainfall leading to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding remains possible during this period with six-hourly totals up to 300mm.

“A separate severe thunderstorm warning will be issued if very dangerous thunderstorms with intense rainfall are detected.

“A flood watch is current for coastal catchments from the Whitsunday Islands to the Daintree.”

In Cairns, the totals have been higher towards the northern suburbs of the city, with reports of slow-moving traffic on the Captain Cook Hwy towards the CBD, on Friday morning.

Locations which may be affected by heavy rainfall included Cairns, Port Douglas, Ingham, Innisfail, Mossman, Cardwell, Yarrabah, Wujal Wujal, Gordonvale, Abergowrie, Julatten and Lucinda.

The next severe weather warning will be issued by 11am, Friday.

FAR NORTH RAINFALL TOTALS FROM 9AM, APRIL 21 TO 7AM APRIL 22

South Mission Beach Alert – 141mm

Bulgun Creek Alert (Tully) – 134mm

Cowley Beach – 126mm

Clyde Rd Alert (Babinda) – 79mm

Vohland Rd (Aloomba) – 71mm

Cairns Racecourse- 52mm

Cairns Airport – 55mm

Saddle Mountain – 68mm

UPDATE THURSDAY 12PM: Up to 300mm of rain is expected to batter the region on Thursday and Friday and impact travel plans this long weekend, with forecasters warning drivers to stay off roads where possible.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Brooke Pagel said the region could expect localised intense rainfall, thunderstorms and flash flooding through to the end of the week, impacting areas between Daintree and Rollingstone.

“The trough causing (the rain) will deepen further and become slow moving on Friday before shifting north of Cairns on Saturday,” she said.

Drivers are being warned to exercise caution when driving on Friday and the weekend as flash flooding is expected across the region. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Cairns is smack bang in the middle of where the trough is going to go.”

In the past 24 hours, 30mm of rain landed in Tully, with Innisfail receiving 20mm and 15mm at Daintree.

Ms Pagel warned of potential flash flooding across Cairns and the greater Far North region from Friday to Monday and recommended drivers stay off the roads where possible.

“We can expect 200mm-300mm today and Friday,” she said.

“We’re looking at 45mm-90mm on Saturday, 35mm-80mm on Sunday and 45mm-80mm on Monday,” she said.

The Cairns region should also expect king tide starting on Sunday and continuing through to Thursday next week.

Cairns Regional Council has cautioned residents not to walk, ride or drive through flood waters and to obey road signs.

King tide levels for Cairns

Sunday April 24 – 2.95m at 5:12am

Monday April 25 – 3:07m at 6:01am

Tuesday April 26 – 3.13m at 6:44am

Wednesday April 27 – 3.12m at 7:20am

Thursday April 28 – 3:03m at 7:52am

Cairns Regional Council urges residents not to walk, ride or drive through flood waters. Picture: Brendan Radke

Friday’s weather

Cairns – 23C-27C Rain at times

Atherton – 19C-24C Rain at times

Cardwell – 21C-26C Rain at times

Cooktown – 23C-29C Rain at times

Innisfail – 21C-26C Rain at times

Mareeba – 22C-26C Rain at times

Mossman – 24C-27C Thunderstorm

Port Douglas – 24C-26C Rain at times

Rainfall in the past 24 hours

Cairns – 2.6mm

Atherton – 1mm

Cardwell – 4mm

Cooktown – 11mm

Innisfail – 20mm

Mareeba – 1mm

Mossman – 1mm

Port Douglas – 1mm

EARLIER: It is the wet season in one weekend as the clouds take shape over the Far North and the Bureau of Meteorology putting out severe weather warnings for Cairns and beyond.

BOM meteorologist Helen Kirkup said it’s a serious weather weekend for the region, with areas from Townsville to Cooktown receiving anywhere from 50mm to 150mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period.

“We’re looking at a deep trough moving very close to the coast and bringing rainfall with it,” she said.

QLD_CP_NEWS_WEATHERCAIRNS_18MAR22

“Depending where and how fast the trough moves, this predicted rainfall for Thursday could easily occur again on Friday.

“While it’s iffy to continue into the weekend, it isn’t out of the question.”

The BOM have prepared for the potential to put out flood watches as the rain batters the region, particularly on the Cassowary Coast.

“The Cassowary Coast is forecast to cop the most rainfall with 200mm to 300mm in a day,” Ms Kirkup said.

“It’s expected the coastal areas will cop the worst of it, but the Tablelands can expect 15mm to 30mm on Thursday and 25 to 60mm on Friday.”

Thursday’s weather

Cairns – 23C-29C Rain at times

Atherton – 19C-24C Rain at times

Cardwell – 22C-27C Rain at times

Cooktown – 23C-29C Showers

Innisfail – 22C-27C Rain at times

Mareeba – 21C-27C Showers

Mossman – 25C-29C Thunderstorm

Port Douglas – 23C-27C Thunderstorm

Originally published as Cairns weather: Heavy rainfall and flood warning as towns cop over 100mm