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Queensland: from drought to floods
Ben Domensino, Tuesday September 20, 2016 - 09:06 AEST
Parts of drought-ravaged Queensland have experienced an abrupt shift in weather patterns this year, switching from a prolonged period of drought to months of heavy rain.
Earlier this year, 84 percent of the state was drought-declared following yet another lacklustre wet season. Fast forward six months, and things have taken a turn for many inland areas of the state.
Much of Australia has seen above average rainfall each month since May, with the nation and Queensland as a state both experiencing their second wettest winter on record.
As of today, Longreach has recorded 562mm so far during 2016, making it the wettest year-to-date in 26 years. Charleville has collected 651mm so far, close to double the long term average and the second wettest year-to-date since 1956.
Unfortunately, the relentless rain has proven to be dangerous for those living near rivers and across floodplains.
The amount of moisture being held within the top one metre of soil is currently at an all time high for this time of year across much of Queensland's southern and western inland. This will be handy for growers in seasons ahead, although any more rain falling onto this waterlogged soil in the near-term will simply run off into already flooded river systems.
Western and southern Queensland are bracing for another bout of heavy rain during the next two days, some of which will be falling into rivers already experiencing major flooding.
A band of rain and isolated thunderstorms will spread across southwest Queensland this morning and over the central and southern inland by tonight. The rainband will weaken as it shifts across remaining central and eastern districts on Wednesday, before clearing out into the Coral Sea on Thursday.
Rainfall totals of 20-40mm are likely during the next 48 hours over parts of the Channel Country, Maranoa and Warrego, Darling Downs and the lower Central West and Central Highlands and Coalfields. Isolated heavier falls of 100mm are possible, which may lead to localised flash flooding.
The main threat from this system will be river flooding. A flood watch is in place for western and southern inland Queensland today, along with a major flood warning for the Macintyre River and moderate flood warnings for the Balonne, Maranoa, Bulloo, Paroo and Warrego Rivers.
- Weatherzone
© Weatherzone
2016
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