Flood warnings and damaging winds expected before cold front sweeps Tasmania

Barely a week after Tasmanians recovered from unusually cold weather, warnings have been issued across the state for the coming days. Here’s what to expect.

Simon McGuire

2 min read

July 14, 2024 - 2:56PM

Eva Rudrup aged 12, Taj Rudrup aged 8 from Woodbridge and Emi Alexander aged 9 from Central Coast NSW were rugged up ready for a walk on Mount Wellington / kunanyi on Sunday 14th July 2024. Picture: Linda Higginson

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Tasmanians have been told to brace for windy, rainy and cold weather during the coming week, with flood warnings in place for many parts of the state.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a severe weather warning for King Island, parts of the Central Highlands, and coastal areas in Tasmania’s west, south and east.

Eastern and southeastern Tasmania are expected to receive rainfall totals of between 20 and 50mm over the coming days, while some higher-altitude areas in the state could get up to 100mm.

The BOM also said that the North, North East, Huon, Derwent and South East catchments could potentially experience minor flooding.

“We’ve got a low-pressure system that’s approaching,” BOM Senior Meteorologist Matthew Thomas said.

“And as that low-pressure system approaches, it’s bringing some moisture from the East Australian Current and drawing air from almost over the northern Tasman Sea down, wrapping around the low-pressure system and pushing into Tasmania.

“It’s a warmer air mass that’s going to move over Tasmania, and the warmer air holds more moisture.”

Following the rain and wind, Mr Thomas said that more cold air would flow through the state on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Those will be drier and colder days around the North-West.

“With the cloud coming in on Friday, showers will be really building and tending to more rain ahead of a cold front crossing early on Saturday and a wetter period through those days.”

The upcoming forecast comes a week after Tasmania experienced icy weather that saw temperature records in parts of the state tumble.”

Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village General Manager Andy Stuart said they “had a week of minus eight degrees every night”.

“We had most things frozen, and it was an effort even to get water flow through the property,” he said.

“But we have a whole heap of processes we put in place for the cold.”

With many families booking at the last minute to experience the snow during the school holidays, Mr Stuart said his hotel had no vacancies.

“But people who come up here need to check the road conditions and drive to them. Many people that come up here have never driven in ice, never driven in snow.

“They drive just like they would normally on any road, which is usually too fast and too carefree.”

Walkers rugged up for a Sunday afternoon walk on Mount Wellington / kunanyi. Picture: Linda Higginson

On Sunday morning, Tim Rudrup and his family braved the cold to visit Kunanyi/Mount Wellington.

He described the conditions as “pretty blustery”.

“We were hoping to get some snow because my sister and her family are down from New South Wales, and some of them haven’t seen snow before, so we were hoping to get to the top,” Mr Rudrup said.

“We were weighing up Mount Field or Mount Wellington – but the cams were not showing great conditions for either – so we thought we’d go for the closer one, hoping that they might open the road at the last minute, but to no avail.”

With the forecasted wild weather, Mr Rudrup said he would spend plenty of time indoors.

“It’s soup and fireplace weather.”