Weather News

Heavy rain heading for Queensland

Heavy rain and storms are lining up to sweep through Queensland over the weekend, according to weatherzone.com.au.

"Queensland will be the last eastern state to be lashed by a heavy rain event that is set to swamp the southeast this weekend," Weatherzone meteorologist Martin Palmer said.

A low and trough over South Australia at the moment will gradually swing eastward during Saturday, hitting Victoria and followed quickly by New South Wales and Queensland.

The system is deepening quickly and is currently sending some heavy rainfall and potentially severe storms over South Australia.

The heaviest rain is due to develop over Queensland later on Friday with as much as 30 to 40mm forecast for the Channel Country.

"The rain will be quite heavy in places, due in part to the system pulling huge volumes of tropical moisture south," Palmer said.

During Saturday the low will swing to the south and the trough will steam through Queensland. By the end of the day 24 hour totals of around 30 to 40mm are possible.

The southeast should be relatively untouched during Saturday with just a few showers about in increasingly humid northeasterlies.

For those hitting the Brisbane Festival and QBE Riverfire there will be some cloud about and the risk of a shower too. The good news is that the trough and associated thunderstorm activity should remain well to the west.

"The trough will hold west of Brisbane keeping the heaviest rain away for the starting night of the festival. Thunderstorms, a show stopper for firework displays, should also keep well clear."

Come Sunday and the story changes though.

"During Sunday the trough will push through the southeast developing rain with some thundery outbreaks too," Palmer said.

A rain band through the southeast and up to the northwest will deliver 24 hour totals generally between 15 to 20mm with a few places possibly hitting up to 40mm.

The rain will continue overnight into Monday adding another 10 to 20mm to coastal areas before the trough finally exits the country and heads over the eastern horizon.

According to weatherzone.com.au much of western Queensland has seen a bumper year so far with many places recording between 100 and 200% of their mean annual rainfall.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2010

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