Residents of Australia’s eastern coast have been cautioned to brace for yet another blast of wild weather – as a strong low pressure system threatens hail, destructive winds, flash floods and possibly snow.
The weather system, which is presently over Western Australia, is anticipated to move toward Australia’s southeast during the next several days.
On Friday and Saturday, the thunderstorms will start to intensify across the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and South Australia.
By the time the low pressure system hits the east coast, meteorologists anticipate it to be fully operational.
On Thursday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the NSW Hunter and Mid North Coast areas.
The Bureau warned that “damaging winds and huge hail are anticipated, and a burst of heavy rain is also possible.”
Huge hailstones and strong winds are expected in the following days for Sydney, Newcastle, the Hunter and Mid North Coast Regions, according to the New South Wales State Emergency Service.
Major flooding is still occurring around the state, and the NSW SES is bracing for a surge in requests from the public for help, a spokesman said.
Residents were advised by NSW SES Chief Superintendent Ken Murphy to prepare for the weekend by closing their hatches.
“Our volunteers are equipped and trained to help the community, but we advise them to be ready. Try to relocate cars covertly and secure any loose goods, especially those on apartment balconies.
“The community in NSW has continued to be resilient despite the weather we have had this year,” the statement reads. “The community is asked to take the normal measures, such as monitoring LiveTraffic and local council websites for road closures.”
But between Monday and Thursday of next week, the low is predicted to deliver late-season snow to the Alps in Victoria and New South Wales over 1,500 meters.
Along with the unexpected, intense heat wave the state is experiencing, severe “supercell” thunderstorms are also predicted for a significant portion of south-east Queensland on Thursday afternoon.
The Queensland office of the Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning on Thursday afternoon, stating that “severe storms bring danger of destructive winds and heavy rainfall, with the extra chance of big hail accompanying storms.”
It warned the probability of thunderstorms will be greatest in the afternoon and evening.
According to the Bureau, “Isolated supercells probable south of St. Lawrence… may offer localized danger of enormous hail & catastrophic winds.”
The state’s far north is expected to continue to have muggy days, and during the weekend, temperatures in interior regions are anticipated to rise beyond 40 degrees Celsius.
For the already-flooded areas in northern Victoria, it doesn’t seem like there will be any relief. Parts of the state might get between 80 and 150mm of rain during the next seven days, according to preliminary precipitation estimates.
At Echuca and Moama, where the Murray River level crested at 94.98 meters on Wednesday night, more flooding is anticipated.
According to Bureau data, the water is still rising in numerous places.