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A trough and very moist easterly winds brings heavy rain and storms to north Qld. Troughs are triggering showers and storms from northern WA to the NT, across to southwest Qld and southeast NSW, some intense. A trough causes showers over Tas. A high keeps elsewhere dry.
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Today, 4:16AM UTC
Queensland braces for more heavy rain as monsoon surge looms
A burst of monsoonal rain will bring further heavy rain to parts of Queensland from later this week, with potential for a Coral Sea tropical cyclone to form by this weekend. Heavy rain has affected parts of northern and western Qld over the past two weeks under the influence of a near-stationary low pressure trough. Some stretches of the state’s North Tropical Coast have received more than one metre of rain over the past week, with the heaviest falls occurring between Cairns and Townsville. Cowley Beach received a whopping 1284 mm in the seven days ending at 9am on Sunday, January 4, while Townsville picked up more than 500mm in the week ending on January 5. Image: Observed rainfall over Qld during the week ending at 9am AEST on January 4, 2026. Source: Bureau of Meteorology. Further inland, heavy rain in late December and the opening days of January caused major flooding in parts of northwest Qld. Some areas around Cloncurry, Julia Creek, Richmond, Winton and Normanton have received 200-500 mm of rain over the past week. Satellite images captured on Monday revealed extensive flooding across northwest Qld as this rainwater slowly meanders northwards towards the Gulf of Carpentaria and southwards towards Lake Eyre. Image: False-colour satellite image showing floodwater in blue. Water near Julia Creek and Mount Isa will will flow to the north, while water near Winton and Cannington will flow towards the south. Source: Weatherzone. Major flood warnings were in place on Monday for the Western and Flinders Rivers. More rain on the way While rain is expected to ease over northeast Qld from Tuesday, further heavy falls are expected to develop over parts of the state from later this week and possibly extend into next week. This impending rain will be fuelled by a monsoon surge that will cause moisture-laden winds to flow from the north of Australia out over the Coral Sea, before wrapping around a low pressure system and being driven towards eastern Qld. Image: Forecast 850 hPa wind and precipitable water showing monsoon winds carrying moisture towards Qld on Friday, January 9, 2026. Source: Weatherzone. Rain is expected to increase over northern and eastern Qld from later this week as the low pressure system develops and moves closer to the coast. This system is currently likely to target the northern and central coasts of eastern Qld from Friday into the weekend and possibly continuing early next week. Some heavy rain could also extend inland towards flood-weary areas in the state’s northwest. Some computer models suggest that the low could become a tropical cyclone before reaching eastern Qld later this week. The Bureau of Meteorology currently gives the tropical low pressure system a moderate chance of developing into a tropical cyclone from Friday into the weekend. Regardless of whether the system becomes a tropical cyclone or remains below cyclone strength, it will still produce lots of rain that will be falling into already saturated river catchments. Flooding will be a high risk from late this week and next week over parts of northern and central Qld. Image: Forecast accumulated rain between now and Sunday, according to the ECMWF model. Source: Weatherzone. Flood watches and warnings, and severe weather warnings are likely to be issued as this event unfolds, so be sure to check the warnings in your area to stay up to date with the latest information.
04 Jan 2026, 3:32AM UTC
Adelaide and Melbourne could reach 40 degrees midweek
Intense heat is currently building over Western Australia and this hot air mass will shift slowly eastward this week, with temperatures possibly reaching 40 degrees in Adelaide and Melbourne midweek. A slow-moving upper-level ridge is currently positioned over Western Australia and this feature will allow intense heat to build over WA during the next few days, with daytime temperatures in the 40s expected to become widespread across much of the WA interior on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday, the upper-level ridge and associated hot air mass will shift eastward over southeast Australia, potentially bringing 40-degree heat to Adelaide and Melbourne. Image: Forecast maximum temperatures on Wednesday, 7 January 2026. Source: Weatherzone While Wednesday stands out as the hottest day of the week for both Adelaide and Melbourne, there is a chance that Adelaide could reach 40 degrees again on Thursday with the hot air mass expected to linger over SA's south. Make sure to stay hydrated and "Slip, Slop, Slap" during this week’s heatwave, and don’t forget to check the latest forecasts for Adelaide and Melbourne.
02 Jan 2026, 10:08PM UTC
45C in four Australian states next week
An extremely hot air mass will spread across Australia next week, with temperatures expected to reach the mid-to-high 40s in parts of four states. Next week’s heat will be driven by a slow-moving upper-level ridge passing over Australia, which will allow a broad ‘heat trough’ to develop at the surface. This weather pattern will cause hot air to intensify over WA from this weekend before spreading across southern, central and southeastern Australia next week. Temperatures will climb across WA during the next few days, with a large area of the state expected to reach the low to mid-forties by Monday. The maps below show modelled maximum temperatures on Friday this week and for this coming Monday, highlighting how much warming will occur in WA over the coming days. Image: Forecast maximum temperature on Friday, January 2, 2025. Source: Weatherzone. Image: Forecast maximum temperature on Monday, January 5, 2025. Source: Weatherzone. The heat should start to spread further east from around Tuesday next week, initially into SA and central Australia before also hitting Vic and NSW from Wednesday and Thursday. It’s too early to know exactly how hot this air mass will be as it spreads across Australia next week. However, numerous computer models suggest temperatures could reach around 45 to 46°C in parts of WA, SA, Vic and NSW, with some spots possibly reaching about 48°C. The hottest weather over the coming week will occur inland, away from Australia’s state capital cities, but the major cities won’t completely escape the heat. Adelaide is forecast to reach around 39 to 41°C on Wednesday and Friday next week. Melbourne is also predicted to reach 30 to 39°C each day from Wednesday to Friday next week. Mildura in northwest Vic will be exposed to the searing inland heat from Wednesday and is forecast to reach 45°C on Thursday. Slightly higher temperatures could occur across the border in SA on Thursday. Image: Daily forecast in the Weatherzone app for Mildura, Vic next week. Source: Weatherzone. The slow-moving nature and intensity of this heat will cause Severe heatwave conditions to extend from WA across to Vic and Tas next week. While the highest temperatures will occur in WA, SA, Vic and Tas, heatwave conditions will impact part of every Australian state and territory. Image: Forecast heatwave severity for the three days starting on Tuesday, January 6, 2025. Source: Weatherzone. The high temperatures are also likely to elevate fire danger ratings on some days next week, with Friday currently looking like a potentially dangerous fire day for parts of southern Australia. Forecasts may jump around over the next few days as new model guidance becomes available, so be sure to check the latest forecasts in your area, particularly if you have outdoor plans. The Australian Red Cross has the following advice for staying safe during a heatwave: Stay inside and keep out of the heat as much as possible. Plan to do most of your activities early or late in the day to avoid being outside during the hottest hours. Avoid sport and heavy exercise during peak hours of the day. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Keep your home cool by using external shade cloths or blinds to shield the inside of the house from direct sunlight. Where possible use a combination of air conditioning and fans to keep certain rooms in the house cool. Electric fans can be an effective method of cooling if air conditioning is not available. If not using air conditioning, open windows during the cooler parts of the day and allow ventilation between rooms. Have cool showers or baths, splash yourself with cold water, or use a cool damp cloth to cool down. If it's too hot at home, go to an air-conditioned shopping centre, community centre, library or your local swimming pool. Avoid direct exposure to the sun where possible and protect yourself with appropriate clothing (loose-fitting, lightweight and light-coloured). Do not leave children or animals in parked vehicles. Keep in touch with friends, neighbours and relatives, particularly if they’re unwell or isolated.