Floods and scorching pre-summer heat batter states
Millions of Australians are sweating through a pre-summer heatwave while, further north, others face flood warnings after torrential rain.
There was flooding on the Gold Coast on Friday, after more than 150 millimetres of rain in 24 hours at Coolongatta – more than its monthly average.
There was also 133 millimetres at nearby Palm Beach.
In Brisbane, play was abandoned at the Australian PGA Championships at Royal Queensland on Friday after about 200 millimetres of rain this week left parts of the riverside course flooded.
Meanwhile, emergency services rescued a man clinging to a tree above floodwaters on Queensland’s Western Downs late on Thursday.
Four Rural Fire Service and swift water rescue crews spent nearly three hours trying to reach the man in his 60s. He had reportedly been trying to drive across a flooded road south-west of Moonie when his vehicle was swept away.
QFD Acting Inspector Glen Gifford said crews had to locate him in the dark.
“The driver is a total non-swimmer, he was very lucky to get phone reception,” he told the ABC.
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Forecaster Weatherzone said the heavy Queensland rain had been caused by a high-pressure system centred over the Tasman Sea. It has driven a deep layer of moisture-laden easterly winds towards Queensland.
“Some other parts of Queensland have recorded remarkable rainfall totals in the last day or so,” Weatherzone said.
Lesdale, 700 kilometres west of Brisbane, had 92 millimetres of rain on Thursday, while nearby Charleville was soaked by 68 millimetres.
Persistent showers affected south-east #Qld & the #NorthTropicalCoast from Thursday evening into Friday. Some of the heaviest falls are listed below. Further rain is expected today, although rainfall totals should be less than yesterday. Latest: https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh pic.twitter.com/1wuo5MqLrA
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) November 22, 2024
Meanwhile, parts of the southern states are sweltering through temperatures of up to 40 degrees – while Sydney faces at least a week of hot weather.
Weatherzone said a “stagnant weather pattern will allow hot air to gradually build over the Sydney Basin during the next five to seven days, causing a relentless run of hot days and nights”.
It said temperatures were likely to be 10-15 degrees above average.
“Temperatures in the city of Sydney and its eastern suburbs are likely to reach the high-20s this weekend and then rise further to around 29-30 degrees from Monday to Wednesday or Thursday next week,” Weatherzone wrote.
“While sea breezes will help limit heating in Sydney’s east over the coming week, … onshore winds will also raise the humidity and make it feel a few degrees warmer than it actually is.
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“Further west and away from the moderating effect of sea breezes, temperatures are going to soar in western Sydney.”
Weatherzone said Penrith would rise to the low-30s on Friday and Saturday, mid-30s on Sunday and Monday and high-30s from Tuesday.
It is also hot in Victoria, with Murray River towns forecast to soar into the high-30s on Friday and Saturday.
Melbourne is forecast to have a top of 34 degrees on Friday, followed by 36 on Saturday before a cool change arrives.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a heatwave warning for Gippsland, in Victoria’s east, from Thursday to Sunday.
“Maximum temperatures increasing to the mid to high-30s. Overnight minimum temperatures increasing to the mid to high teens, peaking in the low-20s for some areas Friday night into Saturday morning,” it wrote.
“Severe heatwave conditions easing from Sunday following a cool change from the west over the weekend and into early next week.”
It is also hot in South Australia, with extreme fire danger forecast for the West Coast, Eastern Eyre Peninsula and Lower Eyre Peninsula on Friday.
“Hot and dry with fresh and gusty north to north-westerly winds ahead of a cooler, west to south-westerly change extending from the west during the afternoon and evening,” the weather bureau said.
“Showers and isolated thunderstorms developing from the west. Severe thunderstorm warning is possible in the far west in the afternoon and evening.”
Adelaide was aiming for a top of 36 degrees on Friday, followed by 29 degrees and rain on Saturday.
