East coast residents brace for wild storms
Thousands of residents in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales are being warned to brace themselves for wild storms, gale-force winds and heavy rain.
A severe weather warning has been issued for the area, echoing last year’s storm that claimed five lives.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is forecasting “fairly significant” thunderstorms bringing up to 150mm of rain and possible flash flooding.
Roads and Maritime Services have also warned of dangerous surf conditions and fishermen are being urged to be on high alert.
The oncoming storms will mark the first weekend of winter.
BOM forecaster Gordon Banks advised east coast residents to prepare for "very heavy rainfall, flash flooding, general creek and river rises”.
The Bureau said the system is building in power and will hit in full force on Saturday, delivering gale force winds powerful enough to bring down branches and powerlines.
"If this was a cyclone those winds would make it a category one,” Mr Banks said.
A king tide is also forecast to arrive at the same time.
The dangerous combination of weather ingredients is similar to last year's deadly south east storm that flooded homes and swept cars off road.
Five people were killed, including a five-year-old boy.
Mr Banks urged the public to take proper precautions.
"If people aren't careful they'll put themselves in peril,” he said.
"In the last event we had last year we had 100 road shuts within an hour we had people caught in limbo between flooded creeks, roads, causeways."
SEQ Water is closely monitoring dam levels and says it may make releases at Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine if necessary.
News break – June 3
