‘Unseasonably’ heavy rain event to sweep across Australia’s east coast

Australians are being warned to prepare for wild weather this week as a band of “unseasonably” heavy rainfall is predicted to sweep across much of the east coast of the country.

Despite Queensland and the Northern Territory normally receiving less than 5mm of rain during this time of year its expected the regions could experience several months worth of rainfail in a matter of days.

According to Weatherzone, “a stream of tropical moisture is going produce rain over a broad area of the NT and QLD, possibly delivering several months’ worth of dry-season rainfall in some areas.”

“A few showers will develop over the NT and far west QLD on Tuesday and Wednesday as a cloudband starts to build across northern Australia. Rain will become heavier and more widespread between Thursday and Saturday as the cloudband slowly drifts further east,” the weather service said.

Heavy rain later this week could cause flooding in parts of the NT, QLD and eastern NSW, including areas that are normally dry at this time of year. ⚠️ Be sure to check the latest forecasts and warnings in your area.

More at https://t.co/Vj6xieCvFC pic.twitter.com/9fm4N7TszM

— Weatherzone (@weatherzone) June 27, 2022

The warning comes despite the Bureau of Meteorology’s announcement of an end to La Niña, a weather event responsible for increased rainfall.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s head of long-range forecasting, Dr Andrew Watkins, said the Bureau was monitoring the weakening La Niña over several weeks but cautioned that “the Bureau’s long-range outlook remains wetter-than-average”.

“A La Niña WATCH does not change the outlook of above average rainfall for most of Australia over coming months,” Dr Watkins said.

“Consistent with model outlooks from other global forecast centres, reflecting a range of climate drivers including a developing negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and warmer-than-average waters around Australia,” he said.

“Sea surface temperatures are currently warmer than average for much of the Australian coastline, particularly to the north and west. This pattern is likely to increase the chance of above average winter-spring rainfall for Australia.”

A wetter-than-average season is likely for most of Australia from July to September. As the 2021-22 #LaNiña slowly weakens, a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is likely to develop. Learn more in our #Climate and Water Outlook: https://t.co/rmGKfMfch5 pic.twitter.com/4oOrO395j0

— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) June 16, 2022

Despite the weakening of La Niña, Weatherzone warned that the predicted rain “could become heavy enough to cause flooding as a coastal trough deepens early next week”.

“The injection of tropical moisture provided by this large cloudband will also help produce rain over a broad area of eastern Australia from Friday into the weekend, possibly persisting into the start of next week as well,” Weatherzone said.

“This rain event could cause flooding in parts of the NT, QLD and eastern NSW, including areas that are normally dry at this time of year.”

The upcoming weather event comes off the back of a warning earlier in June when Australians were told to “rug up” in preparation for a strong cold front that swept the country causing temperatures to plummet.

The chilly temperatures lasted for a week with all major cities except for Perth in the firing line, temperatures reached lows not experienced in decades thanks to a “a conveyor belt of cold fronts” that caused “bitterly cold, wet and windy conditions over southeastern Australia”.