Overview
Maybe your weekend plans were rained out. Perhaps you were hoping to go to an event that was postponed earlier in the week when the forecast heralded wet weather. Or, you might've been woken up overnight by the sound of quite the hefty downpour. Whichever category fits — and all three very well might — Brisbane has received a drenching over the past few days. And, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, it's in for a wet and wild afternoon and evening again today, Monday, March 22.
BOM has just issued a severe weather warning that covers the bulk of southern and western Queensland — including Brisbane. Heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and possible flash flooding are predicted, and the organisation is also cautioning that the conditions might become life-threatening in some areas.
The warning spans Brisbane, Ipswich, the Gold Coast, Coolangatta, Maroochydore, Toowoomba, Stanthorpe, Warwick, Thargomindah, Dalby, Roma, Charleville, Birdsville, Emerald and Goondiwindi — so, yes, a big chunk of the state can expect to get wet. Rainfall could reach up to 100–150 millimetres over a six-hour period, if you're wondering just how damp today might get.
Accordingly, if you're currently reading this from somewhere dry and cosy, we suggest that you keep it that way for the rest of this wet and gloomy Monday. Between 60–90 millimetres of rain is specifically forecast for Brisbane for the remainder of the day — adding to the 125 millimetres that fell in the 24 hours between 9am yesterday and 9am this morning. To put that latter figure in context, Brisbane's average rainfall for the whole of March sits at 140.7 millimetres, so the city almost received a month's worth of water from the sky in a single day.
As the wet conditions continue, the usual common sense tactics obviously apply: secure loose outdoor items, stay inside and, if you do go outside, don't enter flood waters under any conditions. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services's number is 132 500 if you need SES assistance.
Forecast-wise, it's predicted to stay wet for the next few days. Tuesday is set for more rain, receiving between 30–45 millimetres, while Wednesday is expected to get 10–25 millimetres. From Thursday through until Sunday, though, sunny conditions and tops between 29–31 degrees are predicted.
For now, stay dry out there. And remember to check Live Traffic, Translink and BOM for warnings and updates.
For more information about the Bureau of Meteorology's weather warnings, head to its website.