Drenching continues as month’s worth of rain falls in one day
Wet weather will continue to lash the state after a rare weather system dumped a month’s worth of rain in one day and led to the rescue of students on a school camp.
South East Queensland has been drenched by a rare weather system, with more more rain on the way.
The State Emergency Service received 320 calls for help in 24 hours and there was a major rescue of nearly 50 high school students and teachers, who had to be rescued after becoming stranded by floodwater at Mount Barney in the Scenic Rim.
Forty eight students and teachers from North Lakes State College, who were on a school camp, had to be ferried by boat across a flooded road after they were cut off from their planned accommodation because of the weather conditions.
The downpour, which caused flash flooding, was the result of a northwest cloud band combining with a lingering coastal trough off the coast.
Stretching about 4000km from Darwin to east of Melbourne, it has caused the most widespread May rain in a decade.
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More than 200mm of rain poured down on the Gold Coast Hinterland in just 24 hours, and Brisbane received widespread falls between 50mm to 70mm.
For many areas, the 24-hour deluge matched – or even exceeded – the May monthly average rainfall.
The heaviest falls were recorded in Springbrook National Park (191mm).
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On the coast, the Gold Coast Seaway recorded 119mm since 9am on Monday. The May average for that area is 105.3mm.
And the weather bureau is predicting another day of rolling showers in the south-east.
But senior meteorologist Sarah Scully told InDaily the falls were not expected to be as heavy as on previous days.
“That rain band will gradually move offshore this afternoon and into this evening,” she said.
“So the Gold Coast, for example, might only get another 10-20mm.
“But of course the ground are saturated so minor flood warnings are still in place.”
A marine wind warning is also currently in place for Gold Coast waters, and strong wind warnings are in place for South East Gulf of Carpentaria, Cooktown Coast, Cairns Coast, Townsville Coast and Mackay Coast.
The outlook clears up on Wednesday as most of Queensland bathes in sunshine.
Fine and sunny weather is forecast in central and northern parts of the state all week, with maximum temperatures in the mid-to-high 20s in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and Mount Isa.
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