A “significant weather system” set to develop from Sunday onwards could be the welcome rain relief many Queensland producers have been hoping for.
Coastal districts from Rockhampton to Port Macquarie, NSW could see totals between 25 to 50mm next week with heavier falls of up to 100mm expected in some areas.
The welcome wet change is caused by an upper level cut off low developing over Southern inland Queensland and Northern inland New South Wales, according to Higgins Storm Chasing forecasts.
“The upper low of cold air interacts with a very warm moist onshore flow over Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales to produce scattered coastal showers and inland storms,” they said.
“Due to the upper low being cut off and blocked inland, it is forecast to drift through Southern and Central inland Queensland from Monday through until Thursday.
“This will provide a continued favorable environment for the development of scattered showers and possible rain areas along the coasts with afternoon showers and storms through inland regions.”
The news is one of the most promising rainfall forecast for areas in the Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast regions which are experiencing dry conditions.
For example in Maryborough, the average January rainfall in the area is 164.5mm but only 16mm was recorded this year.
The rainfall total for February this year stands at 4.4mm, the lowest rainfall ever recorded during this month for the area is 7.4mm in 1877.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Julian De Morton said rain forecasts for Eastern Queensland were looking promising, more so than it had been over the last few months.
He said showers were expected right through until Wednesday or Thursday next week.
“We should see showers and storms through inland parts of the state, more likely showers over the east coast,” he said.
“It will certainly be pretty welcome for the eastern part of Queensland which has been relatively dry over the summer.”