Weather forecast: Rain, big seas to spoil start of school holidays in SEQ

Rain, frosty temperatures and big swells are set to ruin the start of the school holidays across the southeast and central Queensland, the weather bureau has warned.

Frost was recorded in parts of Queensland yesterday including negative degrees at Ballandean and Mitchell. Pictures: Jude McGovern-Gray and Racing Fix Media/Facebook

Rain, below-average temperatures and dismal beach conditions are looming for the start of school holidays early next week.

The first signs of a huge rain band have emerged today, June 28, in the Gulf of Carpentaria which was set to move south in coming days, Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Angus Hines said.

Mr Hines said there would be patchy falls across the tropical coast, including Townsville and Cairns, at what was normally a very dry time of the year in the far north.

“What we’re seeing already is a bit of a band of rain starting to get going later today,’’ he said.

“It’s nothing too heavy but it is the drier months up there and getting any rain is a bit unseasonal.

“From tomorrow it will move south and cover most of Queensland from about Townsville down to southeast Queensland and (it will be) grey and cloudy underneath.”

Mr Hines said despite concerns earlier in the week of an East Coast Low forming, the rain was now expected to only be in the 10-25mm range in the coming 24 to 36 hours, with no flooding likely.

“It will keep moving south on Monday with showers in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast but by midnight, to Tuesday morning, it will shift to NSW.’’

Mr Hines said the rain would be succeeded by cold conditions from Tuesday onwards, with below-average daytime and nighttime temperatures across the southeast.

South and central Queensland could expect frosty conditions.

Beach conditions were likely to be unpleasant for the start of the school holidays, including large swells building from Monday and into Tuesday before easing by the middle of the week.

Frost was recorded at Mitchell in recent days. Pictures: Racing Fix Media/Facebook

This morning, temperatures dropped to as low as 0.9C about 6am at the notoriously cold town of Applethorpe in the Granite Belt. Oakey and Wellcamp reached 2.3C and 3.7C respectively.

Apparent temperatures on Friday reached as low as -5C at Mitchell causing significant frost.

Originally published as Weather forecast: Rain, big seas to spoil start of school holidays in SEQ