Millions in Firing Line of More Wild Weather
Millions of Australians along the east coast are preparing for another round of storms and heavy rainfall this weekend, following a turbulent start to the storm season. Sydney may experience late thunderstorms and strong winds on both Friday and Saturday, after warm daytime temperatures.
Cold Front Brings Unsettled Weather
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jonathon Howe warned of several “unsettled days” across southeastern Australia as a cold front develops. He noted that regions from southern Victoria to northern New South Wales could see widespread storm activity.
“Today (Friday) we are looking at the possibility of thunderstorms all the way from southern Victoria across to South Australia and up into northern parts of NSW,”
Howe added that strong winds could impact northern Victoria and northwestern New South Wales, with Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, and Sydney all expecting storm chances.
“Severe thunderstorms are possible through the day for the northwestern slopes of NSW, into southern inland Queensland and a large swath across Central Australia,”
According to Howe, damaging wind gusts are likely to continue into Saturday. Heavy rain, large hail, and intense winds may also affect areas from Wollongong through Sydney, Newcastle, the Hunter Region, the Mid North Coast, and inland Queensland.
Areas at Risk
- Southern and northern Victoria
- South Australia
- New South Wales (including Sydney, Newcastle, and the Hunter Region)
- Southern inland Queensland
- Central and northern parts of the country
Author’s summary: Forecasts indicate multiple Australian cities face thunderstorms, heavy rain, and damaging winds this weekend as a cold front drives unstable weather eastward.