BOM meteorologist on impending heavy rains | April 3, 2024 | Illawarra Mercury
Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury gives a severe weather update ahead of heavy rainfall expected to hit NSW. Video from the Bureau of Meteorology.
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00:00 A very wet end to the week is on the way for much of NSW as a trough deepens along the
00:05 east coast.
00:06 Let's jump in with a look at today first of all.
00:09 We're likely to see fairly patchy showers along eastern parts of the NSW coast, with
00:15 fairly low rainfall totals expected.
00:18 A trough extending through northeast NSW and southern Queensland may generate some heavier
00:22 falls in these parts, particularly with thunderstorms this afternoon.
00:26 The story will start to change from tomorrow, however, with much wetter weather starting
00:31 to extend more broadly across northeastern NSW and down the east coast as well.
00:37 Now thunderstorms may bring heavy to locally intense rainfall to northeast NSW and southern
00:42 Queensland, but for the rest of the NSW coast, more moderate falls is all that's expected
00:47 unless we get those thunderstorms moving overhead.
00:50 As we go through the later part of Thursday and into Friday, though, that's when we'll
00:54 see the most severe weather starting to ramp up as a trough deepens off the east coast
01:00 of NSW.
01:01 Now, this trough is likely to drag in further moisture and direct it across eastern and
01:06 central NSW, with the risk of heavy falls becoming more widespread and intense.
01:12 We may also see strong winds wrapping around that trough and high seas and swells starting
01:17 to be generated offshore.
01:20 As we go through the day on Friday, we're going to start seeing a low pressure system
01:24 starting to develop somewhere on that trough, most likely pushing towards the southern coast.
01:29 The heaviest rain and the strongest winds are likely to be tied to wherever that low
01:34 may develop, but there's still an element of uncertainty as to exactly when and where
01:38 that will happen.
01:39 But as we go into the overnight period into Saturday morning, though, we're likely to
01:43 see it shifting south, taking the rain and the wind with it.
01:47 We may see some rain and wind impacts for East Gippsland through the day on Saturday,
01:52 but for the central coast and Sydney area, it'll be an easing weather pattern, with just
01:57 patchier showers likely to be lingering across those areas through Saturday afternoon and
02:02 evening.
02:03 Now, the rainfall totals over the Thursday to Saturday period are likely to reach 1–200mm
02:09 across southern Queensland and much of eastern NSW.
02:13 Isolated falls pushing above 200mm about some of those coastal areas and with any storms
02:18 that develop.
02:19 Now, rainfall of this magnitude can quickly lead to flash flooding, cutting off our roads,
02:25 making them impassable and blocking our drainage systems.
02:28 We may also see riverine flooding developing through Friday and into Saturday, with flood
02:32 warnings likely to be issued.
02:34 In fact, a number of warnings are likely over the coming days, including warnings for heavy
02:39 rain and flash flooding, damaging winds, particularly about the central coast, thunderstorms and
02:45 hazardous surf.
02:47 With a lot unfolding over the next few days, it is essential that you check the forecasts
02:52 and warnings regularly via the Bureau's website and the BOM Weather app, so that you and those
02:57 that you know in these areas can stay as up-to-date and as safe as possible.
03:01 We'll catch you in the next update.
03:02 [Music]