Ben Domensino, 07 Mar 2013, 2:25 AM UTC
Thunderstorms soak western QLD
Slow moving thunderstorms generated gale force winds last night and
drenched western Queensland with the heaviest rain in more than a
year.
A band of storms developed along a slow moving low pressure trough,
which was being fed by moist air from the state's tropics. They then
rolled across western Queensland, delivering bursts of heavy rain and
generating gale force winds.
The heaviest rain was recorded at Monkira in the Channel Country,
where 84mm fell, their heaviest downpour in two years. Nearby
Birdsville collected 23mm, which was their highest total since June
and more than half the monthly average. Another notable total was at
Phosphate Hill in the Upper Western where 40mm was registered, the
heaviest since December 2011.
In addition to the heavy rain, last night's storms also lashed Julia
Creek with wind gusts of up to 83 km/h, the strongest since December,
while Bourketown Airport withstood gusts to 78 km/h.
Thunderstorms will ignite again this afternoon and evening as the
trough lingers over western Queensland. The heaviest rain is likely to
affect the North West district, where falls of 30-50mm are possible.
The trough will weaken on Friday and Saturday as a high pressure ridge
becomes established across western Queensland, bringing a return of
more familiar dry and sunny weather.
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