Source: Bureau of Meteorology
Issued at 11:41 am EST on Saturday 13 January 2024
Flood Watch Number: 1
RIVER LEVEL RISES OCCURRING, FLOODING POSSIBLE ACROSS WESTERN CAPE
YORK PENINSULA AND PARTS OF EASTERN CAPE
The monsoon trough extends across the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape
York Peninsula, with a weak low embedded in the trough in the
southern Gulf of Carpentaria, bringing unsettled conditions to the
Far North. The trough and low will remain slow moving over the
coming days.
Locally heavy rainfall has been observed across the Flood Watch
area over the last few days. In the 24 hours to 9am Saturday,
several locations recorded between 150 and 200 mm rainfall, with
rainfall totals around 100 mm recorded at several locations in the
preceding 24 hours. Catchments are wet and rivers will respond
relatively quickly to further rainfall.
Showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy falls are likely to
continue until late Sunday into Monday, at which point rainfall may
begin to become more widespread.
Abnormally high tides are also forecast to develop along the Gulf
of Carpentaria coast and through the Torres Strait over the weekend
and early next week with sea levels potentially exceeding the
highest tide of the year.
River level rises are likely to continue and riverine flooding is
possible within the Flood Watch area, particularly across western
parts of the Peninsula Forecast District, as well as in isolated
catchments in Eastern Cape York Peninsula.
Impacts to transport routes have been observed within the Flood
Watch area. Further localised flooding, isolation of communities
and disruption to transport routes are possible within the Flood
Watch area over the next few days.
Catchments likely to be affected include:
Jardine River
Ducie, Jackson and Skardon Rivers
Wenlock River
Embley and Mission Rivers
Watson River
Archer and Coen Rivers
Holroyd and Kendall Rivers
Coleman and Edward Rivers
Mitchell River
Staaten River
Normanby River
See www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings to view the current flood and
cyclone products for Queensland.
For more information on the Flood Watch Service:
http://www.bom.gov.au/water/floods/floodWarningServices.shtml
Flood Safety Advice:
This Flood Watch means that people living or working along rivers
and creeks should monitor the latest weather forecasts and
warnings.
Remember: If it's flooded, forget it.
For flood emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.
For life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
immediately.
Current emergency information is available at
www.qld.gov.au/alerts.
This advice is also available by dialling 1300 659 219 at a low
call cost of 27.5 cents, more from mobile, public and satellite
phones.
Warning, rainfall and river information are available at
www.bom.gov.au/qld/flood/
Rainfall and River
Conditions Map
13/Jan/2024 01:54 AM