Weekend weather update: Millions set for weekend drenching
The Bureau of Meteorology Meteorologist Mirium Bradbury said on Thursday afternoon a 'broad reaching rain band' was moving across the country, with 'damaging winds likely for some parts of Australia over the coming days'.
'Fairly widespread moderate rainfall totals across much of Australia over the coming days as this rain system moves eastwards,' she said.
'But the area I really want to focus on is this area in the southeast, including parts of South Australia, western Victoria and inland NSW.
'These areas have seen significant rainfall deficits over the past six, 12, even 18 months.
'The rain that we're expecting over the coming days is not going to do too much to dent these long term deficits, but it is going to be good news for many of our communities through these very dry parts of Australia. However, it's not without its own hazards.'
Ms Bradbury warned 20 to 40mm was expected for many areas through South Australia and western Victoria with roads at risk of flooding.
'This could lead to very dangerous driving conditions, as those roads grow slippery with the rain and visibility reduces as well.
'The other key impact we're expecting as this system moves across the country are the damaging winds.
'We've already issued severe weather warnings for damaging winds across four separate states of Australia.
Queensland, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.
Ms Bradbury said that the risk of damaging winds was mainly focused on Friday but the south coast of Western Australia could see some damaging gusts through Thursday evening.
'So what's driving all of this wet and windy weather? The answer to that is a cold front,' she said.
'It crossed the west coast yesterday, bringing some fairly significant thunderstorms to the Perth area and it's now moving across those inland parts of Western Australia, directing a broad rain band across much of WA.
'The system is attached to a low pressure system sitting to the south of the continent, and that low is going to help push this cold front and the rain band eastwards over the next few days.'
Heading into Friday the cold front is predicted to pull the rain band eastwards and introduce rain across eastern parts of South Australia, Western Victoria, NSW and southern parts of Queensland.
'The rain will be widespread, soaking and lasting for a number of hours. Unlike the patchier showers we're expecting to pull up behind that frontal system.
'The winds are also expected to really increase through the course of (Friday).
'That band of strong winds shifts into the eastern states late Friday into Saturday as the front pushes eastwards and we see those strong winds moving across the east coast
through the course of Saturday, before the system gradually starts to move offshore and the winds start to ease.'
Ms Bradbury advised keeping on top of all warnings and updates especially for the areas most in the firing line around eastern South Australia, Victoria and inland NSW.
'Friday and Saturday are definitely looking likely to be the wettest days as this system moves across the country.'
Outside of the cold front Darwin remains clear with light winds highs of 31 and lows of 22 over the weekend.
Brisbane will see some lingering showers after the weekend before dipping on Tuesday to a minimum of 9 degrees.
Melbourne and Sydney will likewise experience scattered showers with temperatures expected to be within the normal range for this time of year.
After the weekend soaking Adelaide is expected to remain cloudy with north-easterly winds of around 20km/h.
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