A large chunk of Australia looks set to be effectively cut off for days, even weeks, as the deluge continues. And some of that rain is heading towards major cities.
Yet more heavy rain forecast this week for Central Australia is “not good news” for the Northern Territory which has seen supplies on supermarket shelves dwindle after vital roads and railway lines were cut.
Further flooding is now likely, meaning those transport links could remain shut off for days or even weeks.
Rain could also be a feature this week for the east coast, with a wet day for Sydney on Wednesday and Brisbane for Thursday. Melbourne could finally get a break from the heat and humidity. But Perth will continue to bake in 30C-plus days.
Territorians have been faced with supply issues after the Stuart Highway, which links Darwin to Adelaide, and the adjacent railway line were damaged by floodwaters. Much of the NT’s food and other supplies comes in from South Australia.
The rail line could be out of action until mid-February.
The NT News has reported that trucks rerouted via Mt Isa in Queensland have now also been halted by floodwaters near Camooweal on the border.
And the rains just keep on coming, said Sky News Weather meteorologist Rob Sharpe.
“We’re going to see another flood event and that’s not good news to see this heavy rain and storm activity and potential for up to 200mm of rain in isolated pockets.”
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The cause of the weather misery is a monsoon low in Western Australia’s Kimberley Region. That’s sending precipitation in a south-easterly direction blanketing an area between Alice Springs and Coober Pedy. The Todd River in Alice is now flowing due to this trough.
Storms are possible every day until Wednesday in Alice Springs with up to 50mm of rain falling – and that means further damage for the railway and road lines.
Heavy falls are also expected for Darwin during a stormy week with 10-20mm most days. High should reach 31C with overnight lows of 25C.
That’s parched compared to the Kimberley where the weather system has parked itself. A stormy Broome is looking at 50-120mm of rain on Tuesday and up to 60mm on Wednesday.
It’s a completely different situation in a dry and sunny Perth with 34C highs for much of the week and 37C on Thursday. Tuesday will be mild, by Perth standards, with a high of a mere 32C. The minimums will be less taxing though, bottoming out as low as 15C on Tuesday morning.
Looking towards the weekend and it could sneak below 30C in Perth which would be the first time for a while.
Cool change coming for south and east
A welcome cool change is imminent for the south and east.
It will be hot in Adelaide on Monday reaching 35C but then it should cool substantially down to mid-thirties maximums from Tuesday until Thursday and lows of 14C.
The mercury will begin to creep up later during a dry week perhaps breaching 30C once again on the weekend.
Melburnians rejoice – the temperatures are finally falling for you too. At least for a spell.
A high on Monday of 30C will make way for 25C on Tuesday and 20C on Wednesday. The humidity could last into Tuesday, however, with showers expected.
Minimums will bottom out at 21C on Tuesday morning and just 12C on Friday. The highs will head back towards the thirties for the weekend.
A similar pattern is expected in Tasmania with a warm Monday and then a milder midweek. Hobart will see 25C on Monday but by Wednesday 18C will be the peak. At dawn, 11C will be the norm for much of the week. A possible shower is on the cards for Tuesday.
Rain set to hit NSW, Queensland
“That cool change running northwards will bring wet weather through NSW on Wednesday with a band of rain and showers and behind it,” said Mr Sharpe.
“It’s linking up with the moisture that’s coming across Central Australia and so we’re going to see some significant rain totals, particularly around the border of NSW and Queensland, on Thursday.”
Wednesday could see up to 8mm fall in Canberra but showers are a possibility every day until then. Highs of 30C or not far off that for Monday and Tuesday ahead of the change and then just 20C for Wednesday onwards. Minimums in the capital of 17C on Tuesday and then just 9C by Thursday morning.
Much the same for Sydney with near 30C days to begin the week and then a drop. From Wednesday onwards 23C will be the standard with lows in the high teens.
Wednesday could be wet in Sydney with 10mm coming down and then more showers for later in the week.
Brisbane is forecast to be very wet later in the week. To begin, however, the city will be relatively dry hitting 32C on Monday and then as high as 36C on Wednesday. A low intensity to severe heatwave will engulf southern Queensland until Thursday.
The rain begins in earnest midweek in Brisbane with up to 10mm on Wednesday and then 20-45mm on a soggy Thursday. The rain will coincide with the mercury dipping to 28C on Thursday.
Minimums will hover between 20-24C.
In northern Queensland it will be a relatively dry start to the week with little rain in Townsville. But the moisture is coming with 5-25mm due on Friday.
Originally published as ‘Not good news’: Weather misery as deluge continues cutting off vital links
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