Some of Australia’s most remote regions are urged to prepare for flooding with an entire season’s worth of rain set to hit the outback in coming days.
Weatherzone reported an “unusually strong” high-pressure system to Australia’s south would send rain sweeping over Australia from the east.
“This airborne moisture, which is coming off unusually warm seas to the east of Australia, will clash with a cut-off upper-level low-pressure system as it passes over the continent,” Weatherzone said.
“The interaction of the upper low and the atmospheric moisture will cause unseasonably heavy rain over a broad area of central and eastern Australia.”
Increased rain is expected over parts of South Australia and central Australia on Friday and Saturday, before spreading eastward across New South Wales and Queensland from Sunday.
Weatherzone said widespread falls of 20mm to 40mm were likely in South Australia, southern and western Queensland, and northern NSW.
Aussies brave icy cold waters to mark the winter solstice
Isolated falls of more than 60mm are also expected.
Most of the rain will fall between Friday and Tuesday.
“Much of this rain will be falling in relatively flat areas of the Australian outback and its vast network of dirt roads, which increases the likelihood of flooding and road and rail closures,” Weatherzone said.