Weather News

Indian Ocean soaking

Ben Domensino, Thursday October 13, 2016 - 14:04 AEDT

Christmas Island is being soaked by heavy rain from a low pressure system that has an outside chance of becoming Australia's first tropical cyclone of the season.

Christmas Island Airport has recorded 427mm of rain during the last three days, including 383mm in 48 hours. This is the heaviest two days of rainfall since the site began taking observations back in 1973.

Water temperatures in the region are at a near-record high, sitting close to 29 degrees Celsius around Indonesia. This is about 1-2 degrees warmer than average for this this of year.

While the low is still fairly weak, the warm seas are likely to keep it spinning into the weekend. At this stage, there is only a low chance that it will form into a cyclone and if it does, it will not have any direct impact on the Australian mainland.

The first tropical cyclone to form in Australian waters this season will be named Yvette, followed by Alfred, Blanche and Caleb.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2016

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A very wet weekend for southeast Qld, northeast NSW

11:48 AEST A prolonged rainfall event is set to bring large totals to parts of NSW and Qld from Saturday, with possible heavy falls and flooding. A low-pressure system in the Coral Sea, a deepening coastal trough and persistent easterlies will bring moisture-laden air into southeast Qld and northeast NSW will bring days of rainfall to the region. While there is not a drop of rain on the radar over southeast Qld and Northeast NSW on Friday morning, the mass of cloud associated with a low in the Coral Sea will enhance rainfall over the weekend.