Heavy rain and strong winds will lash Australia’s east coast this weekend, with northern NSW bearing the brunt of the wild weather.
A higher level trough combines with tropical moisture to bring the rain, while gale-force winds rise from the south, dropping temperatures and creating dangerous swells along the coast.
“Possible heavy rain and flooding could affect the state’s northeast on Friday,” Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology said.
‘Thunderstorms are also a risk in south-east Queensland and north-east NSW and widespread falls of 20mm to 50mm are likely.
‘A low pressure system could draw moisture from the coast until Saturday, causing heavier falls across the mid-north coast and northern river areas, with the risk of flash flooding and river flooding.’
The Bureau has issued a dangerous surf warning for the coasts of Byron Bay, Coffs Harbor and Macquarie, advising people to take care when boating, rock fishing, surfing or swimming.
The wintry conditions brought spring snowfall just west of Sydney in the Central Tablelands, while the city itself shivered through the second coldest day of 2024 on Thursday with a high of 13 degrees Celsius, the coldest of which was June 22, in the middle of winter.
Further south, Melbourne will have milder weather with frost, followed by sunshine on Friday and Saturday and showers on Sunday. The maximum temperatures are around 20 degrees.
On the country’s west coast, showers will fall across much of WA, clearing by Sunday, with highs in Perth also hovering around 20 degrees Celsius.
A wintry gust of strong winds and rain is likely to persist in NSW until the weekend (Photo: Sydney on Thursday)
This rain map for Friday shows that large parts of the country will start the weekend wet
Sydney
Friday: Max 18 Shower or two relaxations. Possible precipitation: 0 to 2 mm. Chance of some rain: 60 percent.
Sydney area: Cloudy. The chance of a shower is moderate, the chance decreases in the late morning. Wind southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h, increasing to 30 to 40 km/h along the coastal edge.
Saturday: Min 14 Max 20 Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 1 mm. Chance of some rain: 50 percent.
Sydney area: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Wind east to southeast 15 to 20 km/h, trending east to northeast during the day.
Sunday: Min 15 Max 23 Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 6 mm. Chance of some rain: 70 percent.
Sydney area: Cloudy. High chance of showers. Light wind, moderate 15 to 25 km/h during the day, then light in the evening.
Brisbane
Friday: Max 21 Rain decrease. Possible precipitation: 7 to 25 mm. Chance of some rain: 95 percent.
Brisbane and surrounding areas: Cloudy. Very high chance of rain, the chance decreases in the late morning. Chance of a thunderstorm this morning. Wind southerly 20 to 30 km/h.
Saturday: Min 15 Max 20. Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 8 mm. Chance of some rain: 70 percent.
Brisbane and surrounding areas: Cloudy. High chance of showers, probably in the late morning and afternoon. The chance of thunder. Wind southerly 25 to 35 km/h.
Sunday: Min 15 Max 25 Possible shower. Possible precipitation: 0 to 1 mm. Chance of some rain: 40 percent.
Brisbane region: Partly cloudy. There is a moderate chance of showers in the morning and afternoon. Wind south to southeast 15 to 25 km/hour, light in the evening.
Strong winds and rain will mainly affect south-east Queensland and north-east NSW
Melbourne
Friday: Max 17 Becoming sunny. Chance of some rain: 5 percent.
Melbourne area: getting sunny. In the northeastern suburbs there are places with morning frost. Light wind.
Saturday: Min 7 Max 23 Sunny. Chance of some rain: 5 percent.
Melbourne area: sunny. Chance of frost around the nearby hills in the early morning. Wind north 30 to 45 km/h.
Sunday: Min 15 Max 19 Showers. Possible precipitation: 2 to 9 mm. Chance of some rain: 95 percent.
Melbourne area: cloudy. Very high chance of showers, probably in the morning and afternoon. Wind from the north 35 to 50 km/h, trending northwest to southwest 15 to 25 km/h in the afternoon, then light in the evening.
Canberra
Friday: Max 16 Sunny. Chance of some rain: 5 percent.
Area around Canberra: Sunny. The chance of morning frost. The wind will be southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h, trending easterly in the afternoon and becoming light later in the evening.
Saturday: Summary Min 1Max 19 Early frost. Partly cloudy. Chance of some rain: 10 percent.
Canberra area: Partly cloudy. Frost spots in the early morning. Light winds, 15 to 20 km/h from the northeast during the day, becoming light in the evening.
Sunday: Min 5 Max 20 Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 2 mm. Chance of some rain: 50 percent.
Canberra area: Cloudy. Moderate chance of showers, probably in the afternoon and evening. Light winds, west 15 to 25 km/h during the day, then light in the evening.
The NSW Central Tablelands saw a spring snowfall on Thursday thanks to the frigid weather
Adelaide
Friday: Max 22 Sunny. Chance of any rain: 0 percent.
Adelaide area: sunny. Wind north to northeast 15 to 20 km/h, trending east to northeast in the early afternoon.
Saturday: Min 13 Max 26 Developing showers. Possible precipitation: 1 to 7 mm. Chance of some rain: 90 percent.
Adelaide area: mainly sunny morning. There is a very good chance of showers in the late afternoon and evening. Wind north to northeast 25 to 35 km/h, trending north to northwest 20 to 30 km/h in the afternoon.
Sunday: Min 12 Max 18. Relax showers. Possible precipitation: 1 to 6 mm. Chance of some rain: 90 percent.
Adelaide Area: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, probably in the morning. Wind northwest 20 to 30 km/h, turning to southwest in the morning.
Perth
Friday: Max 19 Showers. Possible precipitation: 3 to 15 mm. Chance of some rain: 95 percent.
Perth area: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, the chance will decrease later this afternoon and tonight. Wind west to northwest 15 to 20 km/h, becoming southwest 25 to 35 km/h in the morning and early afternoon, decreasing to 15 to 25 km/h in the evening.
Saturday: Min 9 Max 18 Partly cloudy. Possible precipitation: 0 to 1 mm. Chance of some rain: 30 percent.
Perth area: Partly cloudy. There is some chance of showers in the morning and early afternoon. Light winds becoming south-westerly at 15 to 20 km/h during the middle of the day, becoming light in the evening.
Sunday: Min 8 Max 20 Partly cloudy. Chance of some rain: 10 percent.
Perth area: Partly cloudy. Small chance of showers in the southern suburbs, almost zero elsewhere. Light wind, southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon, then light in the evening.
Rain should ease in most areas by Sunday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology
Darwin
Friday: Max 33 Possible shower. Possible precipitation: 0 to 2 mm. Chance of some rain: 40 percent.
Darwin City and outer Darwin: Partly cloudy. Early this morning there is a chance of showers and a chance of a thunderstorm, again this afternoon and early evening. Light winds becoming north to northwest, 15 to 20 km/h, in the early afternoon, then becoming light in the evening.
Saturday: Min 25 Max 33. Partly cloudy. Chance of some rain: 20 percent.
Darwin City and outer Darwin: Partly cloudy. Small chance of showers. Light winds, west to northwest 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon, then light in the evening.
Sunday: Min 26 Max 35 Partly cloudy. Chance of some rain: 20 percent.
Darwin City and outer Darwin: Partly cloudy. Small chance of showers, probably in the afternoon. A chance of thunderstorms around the Cox Peninsula in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming west to northwest, 15 to 20 km/h, in the afternoon, then becoming light in the evening.
Hobart
Friday: Max 17 Partly cloudy. Chance of some rain: 5 percent.
Hobart area: Partly cloudy. Wind northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h, light in the afternoon.
Saturday: Min 4 Max 21 Mostly sunny. Chance of some rain: 5 percent.
Hobart area: Mostly sunny. Chance of frost in the east in the early morning. In the late evening the wind becomes light from the north, 15 to 20 km/h.
Sunday: Min 10Max 20Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 2 mm. Chance of some rain: 60 percent.
Hobart area: Cloudy. Moderate chance of showers, probably in the morning and afternoon. Winds from the north 25 to 35 km/h, turning to the northwest during the day and decreasing to 20 to 30 km/h in the evening.