Add Category
Much of southern NSW is under a flood watch, says the BoM. Picture: Supplied
MUCH of Australia will be cowering under ominous grey clouds today, umbrellas at the ready, with flood warnings in place for four states.
Emergency services have said conditions are so bad “every drop of rain that falls has the potential to increase flooding.â€
Sydney will be soggy with Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra not faring much better on Tuesday as a cold front marches its way up the eastern states.
Victoria is likely to be the worst affected with a severe weather warning for flash flooding in place as heavy rainfall empties on the state’s north and rivers in the east of the state already causing floods.
Rivers could also burst their banks in New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.
Wet conditions can be expected in a band stretching from Mildura in Victoria’s northwest to Wodonga in the north and including Bendigo, Shepparton and Seymour.
Rainfalls of 15 to 25mm are forecast across the warning area with localised falls of up to 50mm possible.
Flooded crops at Warren in Central West NSW.Source:The Weekly Times
Victoria State Emergency Service (SES) spokeswoman Georgie Maddern said the organisation had received 1426 calls for assistance since September 9 with 21 people rescued.
“Be aware of flash flooding, [do] not walk, ride or drive through the flood waters and tune into the broadcast, especially with the school holidays on at the moment,†she said.
The SES said it had received minimal calls overnight but the conditions remained risky.
The persistent rain moving slowly along the Victorian-NSW border means floodwaters in the area are unlikely to subside for at least 24 hours.
Six flood warnings are in place for the state while the BoM has warned people to be on alert for floods in a further five areas including Melbourne.
Emergency management commissioner Craig Lapsley said the flood threat is high with the amount of rain that has fallen in the past 10 days.
“The rivers are full, the reservoirs are full, the dams are full, so every drop of rain that falls from the sky is going to be in the river system and has the potential to increase flooding at that local level,†he said on Tuesday.
Incident management teams have been stationed at towns surrounding the Avoca and Wimmera rivers in the state’s west, which have been at major flood levels for more than a week.
More than 190 roads are closed around the state while 25 local government areas have been impacted by floodwater in the past 11 days.
A farmer died late last week after his vehicle was swept into a dam.
Central and southern parts of NSW and the ACT are also expected to get a drenching on Wednesday as a cold front moves across the state. Sticking around until at least Thursday, the system will bring widespread rain across most inland areas of NSW and increase the flooding risk.
Twelve flood warnings are in place for the Warrego, Paroo, Peel, Macintyre, Gwydir, Namoi, Bogan, Macquarie, Lachlan, Belubula, Murrumbidgee and Murray river valleys.
The bureau says there is also a chance of moderate rainfall over the far northeast corner of the state.
Sydney will see rain and a high of 19C on Tuesday, Canberra will struggle to get to a chilly 13C with soggy conditions while Melbourne will get to 14C and rain clearing later in the day.
Brisbane will see a high of 21C and showers. Queensland has 10 flood warnings in place mainly in the southern parts of the state.
Tasmania has a flood warning in place for the Macquarie River but Hobart should escape the worst of the rain with a high of 16C.
Both Adelaide and Perth should escape the rain with 14C in South Australia and a high of 22C in the Western Australian capital.