Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding forecast across much of Australia
Severe thunderstorms and heavy rain are forecast to sweep across much of Australia this weekend, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of flash flooding in several states. The system is expected to affect Queensland, Victoria and South Australia on Saturday before moving into New South Wales and Tasmania by Sunday. The warnings come after an already wet week in south-east Queensland, where flooding has disrupted communities and services.
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On Saturday morning, nine flood warnings were in place for south Queensland, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Senior meteorologist David Crock said severe thunderstorms and heavy rain were forecast across central and eastern Queensland, including Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast hinterlands and Roma. He also said severe storms could affect parts of Victoria, including Melbourne's eastern suburbs, and central and eastern South Australia.
Heavy rain is expected to develop in Tasmania overnight into Sunday morning. The weather system has already had practical consequences in Queensland, where flash flooding this week prompted hundreds of State Emergency Service callouts and the closure of multiple schools. The Sunshine Coast hinterlands and Caboolture recorded flash flooding and a seven-day rainfall total of 300-400mm, with some areas reaching 450mm.
Crock said multiple areas in Queensland had received more than twice their average October rainfall over just a few days, describing the week as unusually wet for the time of year. The forecast matters because it extends a period of severe weather across a broad stretch of eastern and southern Australia, increasing the risk of further flooding, transport disruption and emergency response demands. The combination of saturated ground and additional heavy rain can quickly turn localised storms into flash flooding, especially in urban and low-lying areas.
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With warnings already in place in south Queensland, the latest forecast raises the likelihood of further impacts as the system moves east and south. The Bureau of Meteorology said the cold front will move across New South Wales on Sunday, bringing severe thunderstorms to the west of the state as well as north-eastern Victoria, Sydney and Brisbane. Crock said there was a threat of thunderstorms across eastern Australia, with severe storms likely across a wide area of inland eastern Australia.
The pattern follows several days of persistent moisture feeding into Queensland and northern New South Wales, which has helped drive the recent rainfall totals. What remains unclear is how severe the storms will be in each affected area and where the heaviest rain will fall as the system progresses. The main focus now is on whether flood warnings will be expanded or upgraded and how emergency services respond if rainfall intensifies.
Residents across the affected states are being warned to prepare for rapidly changing conditions as the weekend system develops.
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