Aussies brace for a cold and wet weekend as mind-blowing map captures huge 3,000km weather system stretching across the country
Weatherzone meteorologist Anthony Sharwood explained the band, extending from the Indian Ocean to Australia's interior, will trigger inclement weather as it creeps eastward.
'As we head towards the end of the working week and into the weekend, we can expect two main effects,' he said.
'Cooler daytime temperatures at many inland locations due to cloud cover preventing daytime warming, even if little or no rain falls.
'Enhanced rainfall potential is the other likely effect. As the stream of tropical moisture shifts further east, it will fuel rainfall over parts of Queensland and NSW.
'An injection of moisture from the Coral Sea will also contribute to the rain in eastern Australia, with another multi-day burst of persistent showers on its way for the east coast.'
The tail end of the system had reached the eastern states by Wednesday afternoon, but the rain isn't expected to begin in Queensland and northern NSW until Friday as as the cloud band clashes with a coastal low-pressure system.
Wet weather is forecast to intensify on Saturday with Central Queensland expected to bear the brunt of the rain.
Areas between Yeppoon and Maryborough could see up to 300mm.
Fortunately, the rain is forecast to rapidly ease on Sunday.
High pressure over Australia's south-east is expected to bring mostly dry conditions, but another system in the country's west is set to bring rain.
Tropical moisture is forecast to trigger rain over WA's south-west, with up to 50mm expected to fall in areas between Perth and Albany.
Sydney
Friday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the evening. Light winds becoming southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the early morning then becoming light in the late evening. Min 11. Max 18.
Saturday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers. Winds southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending southeasterly during the afternoon then tending southerly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Min 12. Max 17.
Sunday: Cloudy. High chance of showers. Winds southerly 15 to 20 km/h tending southeasterly during the day then tending southeast to southwesterly during the afternoon. Min 12. Max 17.
Melbourne
Friday: Mostly sunny. The chance of morning fog about the nearby hills. Areas of morning frost. Light winds. Min 5. Max 15.
Saturday: Areas of frost and the chance of fog in the morning. Sunny afternoon. Light winds. Min 4. Max 15.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. The chance of morning fog in the northeast suburbs. Areas of morning frost. Light winds. Min 3. Max 18.
Brisbane
Friday: Cloudy. High chance of showers. Winds south to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h. Min 14. Max 20.
Saturday: Cloudy. Very high chance of rain. Winds south to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h. Min 13. Max 19.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds south to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h becoming light during the evening. Min 13. Max 21.
Perth
Friday: Becoming cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm in the southwest. Winds northeasterly 20 to 30 km/h turning north to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the late morning. Min 11. Max 20.
Saturday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the southwest. Winds northerly 20 to 30 km/h turning northwesterly during the day. Min 11. Max 21.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds west to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending west to southwesterly during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Min 11. Max 18.
Adelaide
Friday: Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming north to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. Min 6. Max 16.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning. Min 10. Max 19.
Sunday: Mostly sunny morning. Slight chance of a shower, most likely later in the day. Winds northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h turning northerly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning. Min 12. Max 19.
Hobart
Friday: Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon then becoming light in the late afternoon. Min 7. Max 14.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Light winds. Min 5. Max 14.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon then becoming light during the evening. Min 5. Max 15.
Canberra
Friday: Partly cloudy. Areas of morning frost. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending east to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the late evening. Min -1. Max 15.
Saturday: Cloudy. Areas of morning frost. Slight chance of a shower. Winds southerly 15 to 20 km/h turning southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning then becoming south to southeasterly and light during the evening. Min -1. Max 15.
Sunday: Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending east to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Min 3. Max 15.
Darwin
Friday: Sunny. The chance of fog in the morning, mainly about the Cox Peninsula. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the late afternoon. Min 21. Max 33.
Saturday: Sunny. The chance of morning fog about the Cox Peninsula. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the afternoon. Min 21. Max 33.
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