Queensland Rainfall: 450mm Totals and 16 Rescues Precede Cold Front

Queensland recorded rainfall totals reaching 450mm over the past week, prompting 16 swift-water rescues before a new cold front arrives.

The Queensland fire department conducted more than 16 swift-water rescues in response to the flooding. In one incident, crews used a raft to reach an elderly man holding onto his vehicle's roof in Caboolture.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued nine flood warnings for southern Queensland. Senior meteorologist David Crock stated that the region experienced conditions typical of summer months like January or February, rather than the usual October weather.

Several areas received more than double their average October rainfall within a few days. The Sunshine Coast hinterlands and Caboolture saw seven-day totals between 300mm and 400mm. Some specific locations reached the 450mm mark as moisture built up over seven to 10 days across Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Torrential rain struck from Caboolture to the Border Ranges on Thursday, with some sites receiving over 200mm. The downpour caused flash flooding and hundreds of calls for help to the State Emergency Service. Schools in the affected areas closed on Friday.

A cold front is scheduled to cross New South Wales on Sunday. This system will bring severe thunderstorms to western New South Wales, north-eastern Victoria, Sydney, and Brisbane. The Bureau of Meteorology also warned of severe storms in South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania.

Crock noted that heavy rain is expected to develop overnight into Sunday morning in Tasmania. Severe thunderstorms are forecast for central and eastern Queensland on Saturday, affecting locations including Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, and the Sunshine Coast hinterlands.