Late season dumping creates chaos and there’s more to come
Heavy rainfall across the Far North coast has led to minor flooding, downed trees and multiple traffic accidents.
The showers, which began yesterday, have been heaviest between Cairns and Innisfail.
Kimba Wong from the Bureau of Meteorology told Tropic Now while there aren’t any flood warnings in effect, there have been 24-hour falls of above 200 millimetres.
“There have been pretty persistent showers and rain areas,” she said.
“We have had some significant totals accumulating between Tully and the northern beaches of Cairns.”
In the past 24 hours, Babinda has recorded 260 millimetres of rain, 240 millimetres has fallen at Eubenangee and 220 at Innisfail.
Further north, around 190 millimetres of rainfall has been recorded at Cairns Racecourse, while more than 160 millimetres has come down at the airport since 9-AM yesterday.
To the west, Saddle Mountain has had 98 millimetres.
It’s caused chaos on the roads as children returned to school after the Easter break.
Around 8-am this morning, the Bruce Highway was closed after a truck crash at Fishery Falls, south of Cairns, where there was some minor flooding over the road. It’s since been re-opened to traffic.
Around the same time, Queensland Ambulance Service was alerted to a minor two car crash at Bentley Park.
No-one was seriously injured in either of those crashes, however a woman was taken to hospital with back injuries last night after her car hit a log at White Rock. Tropic Now understands the log, in the middle of the road, was fallen vegetation.
Branches have also come down on the Kennedy Highway at Kuranda while minor flash flooding has been reported around the Gordonvale area.
MORE TO COME
The weather bureau is warning there is more wet weather on the way.
“This is a last burst of the wet season and still a bit of wet weather to come over the next couple of days,” Ms Wong said.
“It’s not heavy enough to cause flash flooding just yet but we’re likely to see an increase heading into tonight or tomorrow.
“A hydrologist team will be looking at it but minor flooding may be possible.
“We’re likely to have a flood watch later today.”
Between tomorrow and Sunday, up to 350 millimetres is predicted to fall in Innisfail.
Tomorrow, Cairns can expect between 80 and 1230 millimetres.
“We’ve got a couple of features contributing to this, including a trough in the Coral Sea lying just off the north east coast bringing onshore flow,” Ms Wong said.
“Overnight we did have a shortwave upper trough which enhanced things a little further.
“That’s moved offshore but there’ll be another shortwave upper trough tonight.
“There’s still the risk of locally heavy falls.”
