Australia is set for more wet weather in the coming days, with three separate bands of rain forecast to end the recent cold spell in the southeast.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said it would be a “wet weekend” on the east coast of New South Wales and Queensland.
“There are a few different areas of rainfall that we’re watching closely,” he said.
“It’s not likely to be very severe, with significant flooding or severe weather, but it is likely to be a prolonged period of wet, wet weather.”
Rain is also expected across central Australia, parts of southern Australia and northern rural districts and western parts of Queensland, with thunderstorms forecast on Saturday.
From Sunday, the band will move east towards Adelaide, spreading across much of central Queensland and northern NSW, including exceptionally high rainfall in the inner east.
Hines said the band would reach the east coast by Tuesday and bring another wave of rain to parts of NSW, including Sydney, Victoria and parts of Tasmania.
“Many of our capital cities will see some rainy days as the band moves through the eastern states,” Hines said.
In Western Australia, another winter cold front is expected to arrive late Saturday night or Sunday morning, bringing rain, strong winds and storms to large parts of the state, including Perth.
“There will be high coastal conditions and high tides and it could come in with a bang,” Hines said. “But it will pass quickly and slide south and weaken.”
While only five to 10mm is expected in country cities, Hines said heavy rain, even a small trainload, would likely flood fields and force the cancellation of sporting events, as well as impact travel and transport.
After a series of cold nights across the southeastern states, with temperatures dropping drastically due to a high pressure system, cloud cover was expected to bring some much-needed relief from the cold.
After dropping to 0 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, Melbourne’s temperature will rise from next week and will not fall below 5 degrees Celsius, while Sydney’s temperature will not drop below 10 degrees Celsius.
The cold weather was particularly notable in parts of Tasmania, with the mercury dropping to -13.5C in Liawenee on Wednesday night and remaining below -12C for three days.
According to Weatherzone, this was a record low for the state in July, due to an unusually strong high pressure system.
This comes as the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has forecast a milder than normal winter and spring, as well as warmer than normal temperatures, across parts of eastern Australia, Western Australia and South Australia.
Last year was the driest August to October on record in Australia. This forecast is linked to the BOM’s recent move to a La Niña watch, which there are indications could form in the Pacific Ocean as late as 2024.
