Wild wet weather drenching the Fraser Coast this Easter weekend

After four days of alerts the weather warnings are over for now.

Wet weather over the sea at Hervey Bay. Photo: Stuart Fast

Update - Monday, 11am 

A monster weather system, which had the weather bureau and disaster management teams issuing warnings from last Thursday, has turned out to be all bark, no bite.

While the tropical low delivered drenching rain to Fraser Island and consistent rain to parts of the Coast on Sunday, the predicted torrential rain which triggered a flood watch warning has shifted out to sea.

As late as 11pm Sunday night the weather bureau still had a severe weather warning in place while the Fraser Coast Disaster Management Coordination team had posted "it's going to be a wild night ahead for the Fraser Coast". 

At a press conference in Brisbane at 10am on Monday the weather bureau was still issuing a weather warning for the Fraser Coast, explaining there was a chance the system could still turn around and track towards the Coast. 

By 10.56am however, it was all over. 

Fraser Coast Deputy Mayor Darren Everard told Sky News Australia on Monday the "Hervey Bay dome kicked in", referencing the joke locals often make because of the way the Bay repeatedly seems to dodge weather systems, largely thanks to the protection offered by Fraser Island. 

He accepted the dire forecast together with last week's Wide Bay COVID scare had impacted Easter bookings but was still glad the region appeared to have "dodged a bullet".

He was also pleased to see the disaster management had kicked into gear since the flood watch was put out by the bureau last Thursday including setting up sandbag stations around the region. 

He said council had offered support to the business community amid last year's Covid impact and the same community which had "dusted off before" would do so again. 

The weather bureau had been predicting a 'life-threatening' weather event with falls of up to 250mm and dangerous winds. The Mary and Burrum Rivers had also been placed on flood watch but that warning has also been cancelled. 

Update - Sunday, 11pm

A severe weather warning remains in place however, much of the heavy rain appears to be remaining off the coast of Fraser Island and moving out to sea, tracking south. 

EARLIER - Sunday, 3pm

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for Queensland including the Wide Bay-Burnett area for Sunday, April 4 and Monday, April 5.

The Bureau reports a subtropical low off the Central Coast is forecast to combine with a strong upper level low and deepen while moving rapidly south towards Capricornia and Hervey Bay waters.

Dangerous surf is likely to develop about the Fraser Coast tonight, extending to the Sunshine Coast on Monday morning

The Bureau also reports six-hourly rainfall totals between 120 to 160mm are likely in areas with locally intense falls of 200 to 250mm possible over coastal communities and Fraser Island.

Communities likely affected on the Fraser Coast are Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Tiaro and Fraser Island.

The heaviest falls are likely to occur north of Fraser Island initially, extending southward to the Queensland - New South Wales border by Monday.

The Burrum River, Cherwell River and Mary River are likely to be affected.

Flood watch is active for all coastal catchments from Saint Lawrence to the Queensland/ New South Wales border.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services advises that people should never drive, walk or ride through flood waters and keep clear of creeks and storm drains.

For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

Originally published as Wild wet weather drenching the Fraser Coast this Easter weekend