Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth will spark a thunderstorm outbreak along the east coast this week, bringing an end to scorching heat over New Year’s.
Storms are set to drench Sydney and another cyclone could form in northern Queensland as ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth prepares to make landfall.
The weather system is expected to hit Queensland and northern NSW this afternoon, and will leave heavy storms in its wake, with Sky News reporting the bulk will hit from Wednesday to Friday.
Meteorologist Rob Sharpe said as the wet weather increased, there was even potential a tropical low could form over the Coral Sea that could become another tropical cyclone.
“This is still a long way out, there’s a lot of uncertainty as per usual,” he said.
Mr Sharpe said the wet weather would pick up from Tuesday along the north coast of NSW and stretch into Queensland from Wednesday.
Parts of south east Queensland could be hit particularly hard, with major concerns more than 100mm will fall along the Sunshine Coast over the coming days.
Much of central and northern Victoria will see 50-100mm over the week, with northern parts of Tasmania also likely to be hit with the huge deluge.
Sydney is expected to cop the worst of its weather on Wednesday and Thursday, with Weatherzone forecasting a 90 per cent chance of rain on Wednesday with up to 20mm expected. On Thursday, 5mm of rain is expected for the Harbour City.
The overcast and rainy conditions are set to last a week from Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) expects there to be dangerous surf conditions to remain despite Cyclone Seth being downgraded from category two to category one.
“Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth will produce dangerous surf and abnormally high tides about exposed beaches in southeast Queensland and northeast NSW, and severe weather warnings and dangerous surf warnings are current,” the BOM said on Sunday evening.
Abnormally high tides were expected from Fraser Island, in Queensland, to Seal Rocks, north of Newcastle, with a dangerous surf warning stretching south of Sydney to the Illawarra Coast.
Residents on the Gold Coast, Moreton Island, Cleveland, Mount Tamborine, Southern Border Ranges, Main Range, North Stradbroke Island, Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina, Alstonville, Brunswick Heads and Evans Head were warned they could be hit with gusts of about 100km/h over the weekend.
Forecasters were expecting the weather system to head northwest towards the coast on Monday.
“Cyclones are unpredictable and we are monitoring this one very closely,” Queensland Police Service Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy said on Sunday.
“What we are expecting to see is very high tides on the coast in our low-lying areas, potentially some flooding as a result of those high tides, and some severe weather action on the coast with respect to waves and damaging surf.”
The warnings have been echoed by NSW Surf Life Saving president George Shales.
“This has been the busiest operational period in five years,” he said.
“Public safety is paramount for us over the summer and it’s important that we reiterate that the key to being safe on our beaches is visiting patrolled locations and swimming between the red and yellow flags.”
Already lifesavers have reduced more than 250 people while one 49-year-old man drowned at Wappa Falls on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.
Originally published as Thunderstorm outbreak to smash Australia’s east coast in wake of Cyclone Seth
For all the latest Technology News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
