Flood information - links

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http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQP0012.shtml

TROPICAL CYCLONE FORECAST TRACK MAP

Severe Tropical Cyclone Owen

Issued at 11:55 am AEST Thursday 13 December 2018. Refer to Tropical Cyclone Advice Number 22.

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https://twitter.com/abcbrisbane/status/1073096635780030467

Looks like the north coast line will be out for a while ..

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Couriermail --> Brisbane weather: Cyclonic wind and rain to bypass drought areas

CYCLONE Owen has been compared to 2013 storm Oswald, which brought intense flooding rain to large parts of the Queensland coast after tracking south from the Gulf of Carpentaria.

It is expected to be a category 4 system when it crosses a remote part of the Queensland coast, likely on Friday.

Tropical cyclone Oswald made landfall on the Gulf town of Kowanyama on January 21 before tracking southeasterly.

The storm eventually reached the NSW border but not before unleashing heavy downpours and flooding Queensland communities.

Brisbane's water supply was briefly disrupted and the river burst its banks in places, while the central coast town of Bundaberg was heavily damaged by flooding.

Bureau of Meteorology tracking shows Owen taking a similar path down the Queensland coast to Oswald, however this storm is unlikely to dump as much rain due to its smaller size.

Earlier, the Bureau of Meteorology warned of exceptionally high rainfall levels all over the state as Tropical Cyclone Owen crosses the coast at Cape York.

Everywhere from Cairns to the Gold Coast can expect maximum levels of at least 200mm from tomorrow to Monday, with Townsville predicted to see up to 250mm, and Bundaberg as much as 330mm.

The North and Central coasts can expect more rain than the South East with Cairns, Townsville and Mackay expecting to see maximums between 230-250mm.

Everywhere from the Sunshine Coast to Toowoomba are predicted to see up to 200-235mm.

The BOM said that "most of Queensland" can expect thunderstorms on Thursday, with severe systems already occurring near Longreach, Cunnamulla and Winton.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of the Central West, Maranoa, Warrego, Darling Downs and Granite Belt regions, with damaging winds and large hailstones likely.

A spokesman from BOM also warned of potential damaging winds in other areas across the state as the cyclone passes through.

Cairns to Mackay should prepare for extreme winds on Saturday, and everywhere from Mackay to the Gold Coast should prepare for the same on Sunday.

The BOM has advised the cyclone has strengthened to category 3 and is currently on the coast between Port Roper and Port McArthur, just west of Bing Bong in the Northern Territory.

It is expected to be a category 4 system when it crosses a remote part of the Queensland coast between Kowanyama and Gilbert River Mouth, likely on Friday.

The cyclone could dump 300 to 400mm of rain on parts of the Cape York Peninsula.

Communities between Karumba to Pormpuraaw, on the western side of the Cape, are on alert for the possibility of a direct hit.

But east coast communities could also see very heavy rainfall over the weekend.

Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford says swift-water rescue crews and emergency personnel are on stand-by to be sent to communities that could be hard-hit.

And there are fears that regions in central Queensland already devastated by bushfires could be vulnerable to landslides if expected rainfall totals of 100mm-200mm are reached.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this morning said authorities were particularly concerned about the road from Mackay to Eungella in central Queensland.

"Once you have bushfires through an area with large amounts of rain you then have potential for landslides so we are making sure that we cover all bases," she said.

She said she was "very happy" with the extensive planning for the cyclone in some of the state's most remote communities.

But she warned Cyclone Owen would lead to a "whole lot of rain" along the state's east coast and residents should be alert to changing conditions.

Bureau of Meteorology weather services manager Richard Wardle said even after the cyclone system lost intensity as it tracked along the east coast it would bring "high impact weather" as far as the southeast corner.

"As it tracks further south the winds will diminish but we will still see some squally weather and that's why we think there'll be, locally, some very destructive winds and we'll see some really heavy rainfall totals" he said.

"It'll be in a short period of time so it's more likely to be the flash flooding that people will experience."

Most of the Queensland east coast from Cairns to Fraser Island has been put on flood watch with BOM forecasters expecting catchments to reach minor or moderate flood levels in the coming days.

Dr Wardle said the wild weather should reach southeast Queensland on Sunday however another system currently over the west of the state could bring showers and severe thunderstorms from tomorrow.

"Some of those thunderstorms will be severe and they could bring very damaging winds, heavy rainfall and large hail," he said.

He said that upper trough system would bring welcome relief to some drought parched regions of the state's southern interior from this afternoon.

"A lot Queensland is going to be impacted by rain in the next couple of days either in the north with Tropical Cyclone Owen or in the southern interior and the southeast with those thunderstorms," he said.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster James Taylor today told ABC radio Owen could be dragged southward, along Queensland's east coast, with the help of a low pressure system expected to develop over Victoria.

"It'll be the upper trough that develops the low over southeastern Victoria that drags Tropical Cyclone Owen towards the east, and probably southeastward, over the weekend," he told ABC radio.

"That creates a potential threat for large parts of the eastern Queensland coast, particular from flash flooding."

Mr Taylor said Owen could do what Cyclone Oswald did in 2013, and track south along Queensland's east coast, bringing driving rain with it.

"Is there potential for that to happen with this cyclone? Yes. But we won't be able to be certain about it probably until Friday afternoon, when we know were Owen is in relation to that upper trough."

Unfortunately, there seems to be little relief in sight for the state's drought zones.

Over half the state remains drought-declared, with Queensland's historic stock routes closed to graziers for the first time in living memory as severe drought conditions continue.

The State Government ­estimates Queensland is 58.1 per cent in drought, up from 57 per cent in July.

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1073743925519634434

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1074083251684294656

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1074101657988939778

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Long distance Queensland Rail passenger services  - numerous disruptions due to the very heavy rain northern Queensland

> https://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/ServiceUpdates/Pages/default-%20do%20not%20touch.aspx

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1075994164544843777

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https://twitter.com/9NewsGoldCoast/status/1076007312513527808

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http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ21033.shtml

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

for DAMAGING WINDS, HEAVY RAINFALL and LARGE HAILSTONES

For people in parts of Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West and Southeast Coast Forecast Districts.

Most significant threat currently lies around the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Southern Border Ranges, particularly over the next few hours - thunderstorms may obtain giant hail and destructive winds across this area later this afternoon.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Gold Coast, Emerald, Clermont, Coolangatta, Jimboomba and Mount Tamborine.

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1076360028750270464

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https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1076369622373265409

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1076371126257893377

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https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1076373000176300032

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https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1078682772200337415

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1079451659271426048

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1079991620852989952

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https://twitter.com/RACQOfficial/status/1087140647553839105

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1088510259788840960

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https://twitter.com/DouglasShireC/status/1089284870797324288

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ABC News --> Flood alert issued as Daintree River beats 118-year flood record


PHOTO: Floodwaters cut off the Bloomfield Bridge at Wujal Wujal. (Supplied: Douglas Shire Council)

An emergency alert has been issued for rising floodwaters in the Daintree as a monsoon trough continues to dump torrential rain on Far North Queensland.

Residents of Douglas Shire received an alert just before midnight warning them properties would likely be inundated by floodwaters.

"People living in the vicinity need to take appropriate action and consider moving to higher ground where possible," the message read.

Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu said there had been a "tremendous" amount of rain in the last 48 hours.

"The Daintree River has exceeded the level that we knew about in 1996, which was 11.8 metres, and it has got up to 12.6, which is beating the 1901 record of 12.4," she said.

"Power at the moment is out throughout Daintree, and Ergon is waiting for it to be safe so that they can helicopter in and send more crews, and we've still got some Telstra issues as well."

"The good news is that today the forecast is for showers, but not heavy rain and ... as of now the water levels are receding."

The weather bureau said the tropical low in the far north would continue dumping heavy rain over the coming days.

Senior forecaster Gabriel Branescu said a severe weather warning had been issued for the area south of Cooktown to the Whitsundays.

"Heavy rainfall will continue especially over the north tropical coast and perhaps may even track south over the central coast over the coming days, so it will be a continuation of heavy falls, really wet days ahead," he said.

"The trough is causing rainfall, especially over the north tropical coast. As a result we are looking at rivers rising, so Daintree River now is major flooding, also minor and moderate flooding into the north tropical coast around Cairns."

A severe weather warning remains in place for a large stretch of the coast between Cairns and the Whitsundays and the adjacent inland area.

The weather bureau warned some isolated areas could get up to 250mm of rain in the space of six hours.

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https://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/ServiceUpdates/Pages/QTT204---Cairns-to-Brisbane-.aspx

​​Departing Cairns on Sunday 27 January and Monday 28 January

The Southbound Spirit of Queensland QTT204 departing Cairns, Sunday 27 January 2019 had a delayed departure from Cairns.  This service is currently running 45 Minutes behind schedule

Due to predicted heavy rainfall forecasted in far North Queensland over the weekend, customers travelling between Townsville and Cairns are advised this service may be impacted with significant delays or disruptions.  Where possible coach replacements will be arranged, however this will be subject to the roads remaining open and it is safe to proceed. Travel to your final destination cannot be guaranteed.

Please continue to monitor this website for further updates.

Queensland Rail Travel apologises for any inconvenience to customers as a result of this delay.

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Very heavy rain and flooding NQ.  Tilt services terminating at Rockhampton

https://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/ServiceUpdates/Pages/default-%20do%20not%20touch.aspx

Flood warnings: http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings/

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Couriermail --> Roads cut, homes flooded in 100-year deluge

NORTH Queensland residents are on high alert for more flooding with up to 500mm of rain predicted to fall - including 200mm in just six hours - as a monsoon trough continues to cause chaos across the already drenched region.

The severe weather system has already dumped more than 750mm of rain in parts, with homes inundated and cars washed away in Bluewater just north of Townsville yesterday.

Authorities are going door-to-door checking on and rescuing stranded residents after Bluewater Creek burst its banks, unable to contain the massive dump of rain.

Rescues included a pregnant Bluewater woman who went into labour in the middle of the flood drama and a group of tourists plucked to safety by chopper from Hervey Range, west of Townsville.

Overnight, 193mm was recorded in areas between Giru and Ravenswood in just six hours.

Authorities warn the danger isn't over, with the monsoon trough expected to dump more torrential rain on north Queensland for several more days.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts areas of heavy rainfall, which are likely to lead to flash flooding, are forecast between about Ingham and Ayr through today.

Areas of heavy rainfall are likely to extend further north towards Innisfail overnight and during Friday.

Six-hourly rainfall totals between 150mm to 200mm are likely, with isolated heavier falls possible, particularly with thunderstorms.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting up to 250mm for Townsville Thursday, 150mm Friday and 150mm Saturday. ...

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https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1090802949658337280

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https://twitter.com/fel_caldwell/status/1090873150085029889

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https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1091055369311244289

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Brisbanetimes --> Townsville dam to open floodgates forcing evacuation of 100 homes

A north Queensland dam is nearing double its capacity and has been forced to open the floodgates, prompting the urgent evacuation of a further 100 homes that were expected to be inundated as a result.

The amount of water in the Ross River Dam has been described as a "10-year high" by Townsville mayor Jenny Hill and the flooding as a "one-in-100-year event".

"The reason we have taken this decision is to reduce the risk of flooding, based on the best data we've been able to get," Cr Hill said.

"We've got that much water in the Ross River that it is very hard for our drainage system.

"There are properties that are now at the risk of flooding in Cluden, Rosslea, Hermit Park, Oonoonba, Idalia and Railway Estate.

"We are trying to get ahead of the system so we can reduce the risk of further flooding in the city."

The army has been called in to help with sandbagging and evacuations of the 100 homes expected to be flooded by the water release, adding to the 50 that have already been impacted by the floods.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services commissioner Katarina Carroll said swift water rescues teams had performed six rescues in the region and helped 30 more families evacuate.

The State Emergency Service has received about 300 calls during the past few days, she said.

Meanwhile, a man feared swept away near Townsville was found safe after he decided to stay with a friend for the night rather than enter the water on his way home.

Emergency services searched for hours on Thursday night and Friday morning for the 32-year-old who had been reported missing near Black Gully, 55 kilometres south-east of Townsville.

All buses were cancelled and schools, childcare centres and courts closed in Townsville on Friday after the city was declared a disaster zone.

Residents in low-lying parts of Townsville were told on Friday morning to flee to higher ground, before the decision was made the evacuate more homes before the dam release.

The suburbs of Black River, Bluewater, Beach Holm, Yabulu and Toolakea were included in the earlier emergency alert, with more rain on the way and further flash flooding expected.

A second landslide in fewer than 24 hours also resulted in Townsville residents fleeing their homes.

The most recent landslip was on Mueller Street, in the suburb of Wulguru, leading to occupants of three homes choosing to evacuate.

Upon the advice of engineers, police helped to evacuate several more homes nearby.

On Thursday, two unit complexes and a nearby home in Townsville City were evacuated after another landslide, which caused a unit block's foundations to collapse.

Police said part of the hill on Stanley Street gave way about 1.15pm, damaging the retaining wall supporting the block and part of a unit complex itself.

The evacuations were ordered upon advice from engineers and no one was injured in the landslip.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the weather event had continued for seven days but conditions in the north would worsen from Townsville to Bowen.

"The good news for out west is that some of our western communities going through drought are actually receiving some rainfall, which is wonderful news," she said.

"But of course this concentration of this monsoonal trough that is sitting now over Townsville does mean, it is basically not just a one in 20-year event but a one in 100-year event."

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Richard Wardle said north Queensland was experiencing a very active monsoon, which was bringing "exceptional weather" and flooding.

"This event is unusual because of the prolonged nature of the daily rains that we're seeing," Dr Wardle said.

"We're seeing high total with 400 millimetres per day for a number of days.

"We've certainly seen up to now intense rainfall bursts, which gives us six-hourly rainfall in that one in 100-year range.

"We've seen some locations record over 1000 millimetres."

Dr Wardle said he expected intense rains to continue through the weekend and into early next week, with heavy rainfall from Monday to Wednesday.

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Couriermail --> North Queensland on high alert as 'catastrophic' floods expected

OFFICIALS fear predicted totals of up to 2m of rainfall — on top of an already metre-high deluge — will plunge North Queensland into a record-breaking "catastrophic" flood disaster on a 700km-long stretch of coast from Cairns to Mackay.

Disaster-declared Townsville is at the epicentre of the "unprecedented" monsoonal downpour where dozens of homes have been swamped, schools and businesses shut, and thousands of residents in flood-prone suburbs urged to move to high ground due to the risk of severe flooding.

Police and soldiers yesterday went door to door in five suburbs warning a metre-high wall of water may impact homes after a decision was made to further open floodgates at Ross River Dam.

Suburbs at risk of flooding include Rosslea, Railway Estate, South Townsville, Idalia, Cluden, Hermit Park and Oonoonba.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services last night issued an emergency alert, with possible flooding of homes overnight.

Ross River Dam is 188 per cent full, according to a reading at 1pm yesterday.

It is the highest level in the past 10 years, surpassing the 167 per cent recorded in 2009.

Up to 100 homes downstream from the dam were evacuated yesterday and authorities ordered power cuts to about 400 properties — with more expected — due to safety concerns as floodwaters filled the streets and inundated buildings on top of already elevated flood levels.

Flash flooding alerts sent by text repeatedly flashed as a score of suburbs came under threat and more than 80 homes were evacuated.

"We're no strangers to big wet events in the North,'' Mayor Jenny Hill said.

"(But) we know that we're seeing really a record event.''

She said a decision to open the floodgates came as the extreme weather posed a significant threat downstream.

"We haven't taken this decision lightly, we're looking into what could happen over the next two to three days, we know that the Ross River has hit a new milestone in terms of outflows into the ocean with a one-in-100-year event," Cr Hill said.

State Disaster Co-ordinator Bob Gee urged hundreds of thousands of people to stay alert because "most people ... will never have experienced this (extreme weather) event".

More than 30 swiftwater rescue specialists have been deployed across the Townsville region by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Torrential rain is also falling in central Queensland, with large areas in the grip of drought receiving big falls, including Mount Isa.

Four people were last night stranded near Middleton in central western Queensland after being trapped by the flooded Diamantina River, with rescue crews unable to reach them.

It's understood the four were uninjured and had enough food and water to stay with their vehicle but would move to higher ground.

Queensland police said it was expected the group would be helped by a local property owner who has a boat Saturday morning.

An extra four swiftwater rescue specialists are being flown from Brisbane to Mount Isa from today. Half a dozen places in the Townsville region have already had more than 1m of rain over seven days. These include upper Bluewater (1230mm), Paluma (1181mm), Upper Black River (1034mm) and Woolshed (1008mm).

Marion Callope, who lives on Windsor St in Hermit Park, was filling sandbags to try and keep her house dry.

"We are just preparing, just to be on the safe side," she said. "Our street is pretty well right, so there's no water up our street today but if the Ross (River) breaks its banks then you never know, so it's better to be safe than sorry."

Ms Callope, who has lived in Townsville since 2003, said she had never seen such rain.

"They said it's unprecedented and it certainly is," she said. "There's no need to panic until such time as we something drastic happen."

Major flood warnings have been issued for the Murray, Tully, Herbert, Ross, Bohle, Black, Bluewater, Haughton, Flinders and Cloncurry rivers.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the silver lining was drought-affected areas seeing some rainfall.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Vinord Anand said the monsoon trough will be very active and will stay almost stationary over Townsville for at least the next three days, with up to 400mm of rainfall a day in parts.

"This is in record territory." Mr Anand said of great concern were total falls of another 1m to 2m of rain on top of catchments that had been already flooded by more than 1000mm in the past seven days.

"If that does happen, it's catastrophic flooding."

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https://twitter.com/RossRiverDam/status/1091491740983353345

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https://twitter.com/tessikonomou/status/1091510925222236160

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Townsville Bulletin --> Townsville floods: Ross River Dam at 210% as authorities set to open spill gates further

Ongoing updates >  https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1091787934855020544

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https://twitter.com/RossRiverDam/status/1091899462983675904

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Couriermail --> Townsville floods: D-Day as far north goes under

WILD weather and saturating rain in the state's north is set to continue into Wednesday, with the possibility of tornadoes.

Townsville's rainfall totals are an all time record, even surpassing the "Night of Noah" event of 1998.

The Bureau of Meteorology say seven day totals in Townsville have reached 1,012mm as of 9am this morning, smashing the previous record of 886mm.

BOM state manager Bruce Gunn said wild weather will continue with severe weather warnings for almost all of the Gulf of Carpentaria coast including Torres Strait Island for abnormally high tides and another severe warning current for much of North Queensland.

He said the affects of the monsoonal trough was still to come with damaging winds expected and potential for tornadoes.

"The possibility of wind gusts also exist with the onshore flow and there is some chance of tornadoes forming in that onshore flow as the convergence lines feed into the monsoon ... there's enough favourable wind sheer to make that possible," Mr Gunn said.

Emergency alerts have been issued for Hyde Park, Aitkenvale, Kurrajong, Rosslea, Pimlico, Mysterton and Mundingburra.

Residents are being advised that the heavy intense rainfall on top of elevated flood levels is likely to cause flash flooding.

Authorities urge residents to move to higher ground immediately if they are concerned. Evacuation centres are open at Heatley Secondary College on Fulham Road, and Ignatius Park College on Ross River Road.

An emergency alert for residents of Hughenden in the state's northwest has been also been issued.

Flood water from the Flinders River is expected to cause flooding on the north side of the river.

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https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1091926683421106176

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A lot of damage to railways north and south of Townsville, and presumably in and around Townsville. Not sure if the line to Mt Isa is intact either.  Very heavy rain around there as well. Will take a few weeks to recover before trains are running through to NQ.  Also possibility of more damage to transport links in Central Coastal Queensland in the next days as heavy rains forecast.

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https://twitter.com/DarrenChesterMP/status/1091884271562719232

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https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1091949694232612864