Australia is expected to experience more wet weather in the coming days as three separate rain bands are forecasted to end the recent cold snap in the south-east. Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, indicated that the entire east coast of New South Wales and Queensland would have a “showery weekend.”
“We’re closely monitoring several different areas of rain,” Hines mentioned. “It’s not anticipated to be very heavy, causing significant flooding or severe weather, but it will be a prolonged period of wet and showery conditions.”
Additionally, a rain band is expected to develop across central Australia, affecting parts of South Australia, northern pastoral districts, and western Queensland, with thunderstorms likely to expand on Saturday. By Sunday, this band will move eastward towards Adelaide, spreading across much of central Queensland and northern NSW, including unusually high rainfall in the eastern outback.
By Tuesday, Hines stated, the rain band will reach the east coast, bringing more wet weather to parts of NSW, including Sydney, as well as parts of Victoria and Tasmania. “Many of our capitals will experience a few wet days as the band moves across the eastern states,” Hines said.
In Western Australia, another winter cold front is expected to arrive late Saturday or early Sunday morning, bringing rain, strong winds, and potential thunderstorms to large areas of the state, including Perth. “There will be elevated coastal conditions and high tides, and it could arrive with a bang,” Hines said. “However, it will move through quickly and weaken as it slides off to the south.”
Though only 5 to 10mm of rain is expected across the nation’s cities, Hines noted that the already wet conditions could lead to waterlogged fields, sports cancellations, and impacts on travel and transportation.
Following a series of chilly nights in south-east states due to a high-pressure system causing temperatures to drop dramatically, the upcoming cloud cover is expected to bring some relief from the cold. After dropping to 0C on Wednesday, Melbourne’s temperatures are predicted to rise next week, staying above 5C, while Sydney will not drop below 10C.
The cold weather has been particularly notable in parts of Tasmania, where temperatures fell to -13.5C in Liawenee on Wednesday evening and remained below -12C for three days, setting a record low for the state in July according to Weatherzone, attributed to an unusually strong high-pressure system.
