|
 Flooding
intensifies in Far North QLD
Renewed heavy rain in the Tully area south of Cairns QLD
this morning and early afternoon pushed flood levels to moderate
levels. In the Tully River catchment, Jarra Creek, about
10km NW of Tully, recorded 141mm in the 24 hours to 9am while between
9am and 3pm flood alert gauges recorded 60mm at Tully and 103mm
at Euramo, 9km south of Tully. At 3pm, the Tully River at Euramo
was in moderate flood and 40cm over the approaches to the Bruce
Highway bridge. The highway was closed by floodwaters yesterday,
reopened briefly this morning, but was closed again until later
on Thursday. The Murray River, the next system to the south, was
also in moderate flood at Murray Flats. Rain eased from mid afternoon,
and both river systems peaked overnight into Thursday.
Heavy rain fell around Mt Bartle Frere overnight with Topaz on
its western flank -- a location particularly prone to heavy rain
in moist southeasterlies -- recording 140mm in the 24 hours to 9am.
This was reflected in flooding in the Mulgrave River which exceeded
minor flood level at Gordonvale this evening.
In the week to 9am Thursday 29 April, Tully Sugar Mill recorded
538.8mm and Topaz 556mm.
Beneficial general rain in southern QLD,
far north NSW
Widespread light to moderate rain with isolated heavy totals
were reported across southern QLD and the far northern inland of
NSW today and into the early hours of Thursday. The rain
occurred when a closed circulation developed in the lower atmosphere
yesterday producing an area of strengthening vertical uplift across
central and southern inland QLD. The uplift area moved slowly south
into northern NSW overnight before heading SE across the Hunter
coast late Thursday morning. At the surface, a trough lay north/south
through central QLD today and by late evening the upper circulation
was reflected in a surface low near Charleville. This low tracked
south then southeast behind the area of vertical uplift, crossing
the Hunter coast early Friday morning. In central and southern inland
QLD nearly all stations reported between 20 and 70mm of steady,
soaking rain over the 48 hours to 9am Thursday, with most of it
falling today. In the 24 hours to 9 this morning, Karoola Park,
75km S of Roma, registered 60mm and Charleville Airport 58. In the
24 hours to 9am Thursday, 53.8mm at Springdale, 45km NNW of Roma,
was the heaviest total. The heaviest weekly totals to 9am Thursday
(almost all of which fell in the last 48 hours) were in the Warrego:
90.0 KAROOLA PARK
82.0 SURAT
82.0 WERIBONE TM
81.6 YULEBA POST OFFICE
80.4 WARKON
77.2 SPRINGFIELD
75.0 DALMALLY
72.6 MITCHELL POST OFFICE
Overnight the uplift area tracked into northern NSW giving some
heavy to very heavy falls. Enngonia, 90km N of Bourke, recorded
118mm for the 24 hours to 9am Thursday followed by 57.0mm at Collerina
(Kenebree) 65km ENE of Bourke. Brewarrina recorded 50mm and Bourke
Airport 49, but falls tailed off rapidly to the south and east as
the system tracked into drier air.
In QLD the rain and its timing have had mixed affects on agriculture
and pastures. Cotton picking ground to a halt in the southern Darling
Downs while the Department of Primary Industries warned that the
combination of rain and low night-time temperatures in the Central
West may have shattered flinders grass leaves and damaged mitchell
grass pastures. On the up side, the timing and amount of rain in
the Darling Downs has provided a perfect start to the winter cropping
program. Cattle sales in the area saw an immediate upturn, with
many cattlemen who had sown oats in the past few weeks now looking
to plenty of green feed in 3 or 4 weeks time.
|
