Weather News

New East Coast Low looming

Rob Sharpe, Tuesday June 14, 2016 - 11:52 AEST

Eastern Australia is still recovering from an East Coast Low earlier in June, but now another one is on the cards.

The widespread damage from the previous event is unlikely to be repeated. However, significant flooding and other isolated severe weather is likely.

During the working week, a small low and trough will move from southern Western Australia to eastern New South Wales and Victoria, producing areas of rain, but this is just a precursor of the main weather event.

On Friday and Saturday, an intense upper cold pool (upper trough) will enhance the surface trough over northern NSW, southern and central Queensland and southeastern Northern Territory, causing areas of rain to become more widespread and heavier. Farmers across these areas should see widespread 20-50mm, with isolated falls near 100mm.

On Sunday, a low pressure system will form within the deepening trough over land as rain moves from central Australia towards the coast. This is a similar pattern to what occurred during the previous event. Rain will intensify, with flooding a risk in areas where heavy rain fell in the earlier event.

When the inland low pressure system reaches the coast on about Monday, we are likely to see the most severe weather from this event. There is considerable uncertainty as to which areas will be worst affected, but early indications are that the NSW south coast could bear the brunt.

The primary difference between the upcoming system and the previous one, is that the high sitting over New Zealand will be much weaker. The slacker pressure pattern will allow the low pressure trough to move off the coast more quickly on Sunday night into Monday, bringing clearing. It will also mean that the northeasterly swell along the eastern seaboard will be smaller, yet still powerful and dangerous.

- 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.