The Australian outback is forecasted to receive an entire season’s worth of rain over the next few days as a cut-off low pressure system brings heavy rain to several states and territories. This is due to an unusually strong high pressure system situated to the south of Australia, which will cause moisture-laden air to flow over the continent from the east.
This airborne moisture, which is coming off unusually warm seas to the east of Australia, will clash with a cut-off upper-level low pressure system as it passes over the continent. The interaction of the upper low and the atmospheric moisture will cause unseasonably heavy rain over a broad area of central and eastern Australia.
Cloud can already be seen building over parts of SA and Qld as moisture begins to increase over the continent. This cloud will cause rain to increase over parts of SA and central Australia on Friday and Saturday as the upper-low becomes more established. Rain is then expected to spread further east across NSW and Qld from Sunday into early next week.
Forecast models suggest that widespread falls of 20 to 40 mm are likely in SA, southern and western Qld and northern NSW from this system, with isolated falls above 60 mm. Most of this rain will fall between Friday and Tuesday.
The map below shows how much rain is expected to fall during the next seven days according to one computer model.
Much of this rain will be falling in relatively flat areas of the Australian outback and its vast network of dirt roads, which increases the likelihood of flooding and road and rail closures. Be sure to stay up to date with the latest warnings and transport updates in the coming days.
