Rain and stormy conditions to extend through to weekend

Far North Queensland had received a drenching of 150mm in some parts as of Tuesday, with another 100mm expected to come later this week, experts say.

The start of summer has seen rainy weather return to Far North Queensland. Cairns youngster Noah Millard, 4, enjoys the return of the wet weather, dressing up in his raincoat and gumboots, and jumping into rain puddles outside his Smithfield home. Picture: Brendan Radke

Far North Queensland had received a drenching of 150mm in some parts as of Tuesday, with another 100mm expected to come later this week, experts say.

Meteorologist Shane Kennedy from the Bureau of Meteorology said residents could expect a wet few days with daily rainfall between 10 and 30mm.

“All across the Far North, we should expect lots of showers and storms, then it’ll become a bit more confined to the coast on Thursday,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Then on the weekend, particularly on the Sunday, it should really start to back off and contract more to the Northern Cape York Peninsula.”

The wet conditions are the result of a large system that has caused flooding in South East Queensland and bought lots of moisture to the Far North.

The start of summer has seen rainy weather return to Far North Queensland. Cairns youngster Noah Millard, 4, enjoys the return of the wet weather, dressing up in his raincoat and gumboots, and jumping into rain puddles outside his Smithfield home. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Kennedy said this moisture when paired with slow moving storms can bring high rainfall and a small risk of flooding.

“There is that chance we could at least see moderate to likely heavy rainfall,” Mr Kennedy said.

“We’ve already had a lot of rainfall, 150 millimetres of pooling in about two hours at Lower Walker Creek.

“You get a slow-moving storm hanging around for long enough, then that can really push things up into the flash flooding territory.”

Despite the rain residents shouldn’t expect any reprieve from the heat with temperatures expected to stay around 31 degrees for much of the week.

Mr Kennedy warned that though conditions should ease towards the end of this week, the region has an especially wet summer waiting.

“The oceans around Australia are all pretty warm, which is increasing the chances of seeing above average rainfall,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Because they’re putting more precipitation or moisture up in the air, so more energy for those showers and storms.

“Certainly the current expectation is above average wet season this year.”

Originally published as Rain and stormy conditions to extend through to weekend