Wet start to weekend for nearly all capitals expected as rainband sweeps country and delivers showers to millions of Australians
Only Perth is expected to steer clear of potentially wet conditions on Saturday as a rainband crosses the east of the country bringing showers and cold weather from Queensland to Tasmania.
Sky News Meteorologist Rob Sharpe outlined the rainy outlook for states set to be affected, including Queensland, where the rainband 'looks significant' in the Saturday forecast.
'Particularly from the northwest all the way to the southern inland. And then, around sunset, it will be reaching the coastline and could head all the way up to Rockhampton and Gladstone as well by the nighttime,' Sharpe said.
'It will clear out pretty quickly for the southwest. Once the rain stops, the sun will quickly come out and it will be cooler than usual for most areas.'
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecast says there is very high chance of rain for Brisbane on Saturday, most likely in the afternoon and evening, with between 8 to 20 mm of rain expected.
Rain is also set to run across New South Wales throughout the day, and Sharpe said central coastal areas could expect to see patchy wet weather that could clear out 'quite quickly'.
'So, by lunchtime, it will be done, even up towards Newcastle. But for the areas on and west of the ranges, they'll be still some showers coming and going through the day and down close to the Vic border they'll be rain,' he said.
A partly cloudy day with a very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning, is expected for Sydney on Saturday, according to the BOM.
In Victoria, Sharpe said central and northeastern areas were likely to see the bulk of the state's wet weather throughout the day, and the BOM has forecast between 1 to 15 mm of possible rain for Melbourne.
Periods of rain are also expected for Tasmania, particularly in the morning, Sharpe said.
'But for South Australia, it's cold, it's showery, and that wet weather will target the southern agricultural with isolated showers to the northern agricultural, and even some of the southern pastorals as well,' he said.
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