Heavy rain and strong winds will continue to hit Australia’s east coast over the weekend, with northern New South Wales bearing the brunt of the wild weather.
An upper-level trough is combining with tropical humidity to bring rain, while strong winds are blowing from the south causing temperatures to drop and dangerous surf along the coast.
“Possible heavy rain and flooding could affect the northeast of the state on Friday,” said Miriam Bradbury of the Bureau of Meteorology.
‘Thunderstorms are also a risk in south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales and widespread falls of 20mm to 50mm are likely.
“Until Saturday, a low pressure system could draw moisture from the coast causing heavier falls on the north coast and Northern Rivers areas with potential for riverine and flash flooding.”
The Bureau has issued a dangerous surf warning for the coasts of Byron Bay, Coffs Harbor and Macquarie, warning people to use caution when boating, rock fishing, surfing or swimming.
Wintry conditions brought spring snow just west of Sydney in the Central Tablelands, while the city itself shivered on Thursday on its second coldest day of 2024 with a high of 13C, with the coldest coming on June 22. in midwinter.
Further south, Melbourne will have milder weather with frost followed by sunshine on Friday and Saturday and rain on Sunday. The maximum temperatures will be around 20ºC.
On the west coast of the country there will be rain across much of WA, which will clear on Sunday and maximum temperatures in Perth will also be around 20C.
A wintry blast of strong winds and rain is likely to persist in New South Wales over the weekend (pictured: Sydney on Thursday)
This Friday precipitation map shows that large areas of the country will have a wet start to the weekend.
Sydney
Friday: Max 18 Shower or two relaxers. Possible precipitation: 0 to 2 mm. Chance of rain: 60 percent.
Sydney area: Cloudy. Average chance of showers, becoming less likely late in the morning. Winds from the southeast at 20 to 30 km/h, increasing to 30 to 40 km/h on the coastal strip.
Saturday: Min 14 Max 20 Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 1 mm. Chance of rain: 50 percent.
Sydney area: Cloudy. Average chance of showers. Winds from the east to southeast at 15 to 20 km/h tending east to northeast during the day.
Sunday: Min 15 Max 23 Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 6 mm. Chance of rain: 70 percent.
Sydney area: Cloudy. High probability of rain. Winds will be light from the northeast at 15 to 25 km/h during the day and then become light overnight.
brisbane
Friday: Max. 21 The rain decreases. Possible precipitation: 7 to 25 mm. Chance of rain: 95 percent.
Brisbane area: Cloudy. Very high chance of rain, decreasing late in the morning. The chance of a storm this morning. Winds from the south at 20 to 30 km/h.
Saturday: Min 15 Max 20. Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 8 mm. Chance of rain: 70 percent.
Brisbane area: Cloudy. High probability of rain, more likely in the late morning and afternoon. The possibility of a storm. Winds from the south at 25 to 35 km/h.
Sunday: Min 15 Max 25 Possible shower. Possible precipitation: 0 to 1 mm. Chance of rain: 40 percent.
Brisbane Area: Partly cloudy. Average chance of showers in the morning and afternoon. Winds from the south to southeast of 15 to 25 km/h become light during the afternoon.
Strong winds and rain will especially affect southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales.
Melbourne
Friday: Max 17 Getting sunny. Chance of rain: 5 percent.
Melbourne area: turning sunny. Patches of morning frost in the north east suburbs. Light winds.
Saturday: Min 7 Max 23 Sunny. Chance of rain: 5 percent.
Melbourne area: Sunny. Possibility of frost in the nearby hills early in the morning. Winds from the north at 30 to 45 km/h.
Sunday: Min 15 Max 19 Showers. Possible precipitation: 2 to 9 mm. Chance of rain: 95 percent.
Melbourne area: Cloudy. Very high probability of showers, more likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds from the north at 35 to 50 km/h, trending northwest to southwest at 15 to 25 km/h during the afternoon and becoming light during the night.
Canberra
Friday: Maximum 16 Sunny. Chance of rain: 5 percent.
Canberra area: Sunny. The possibility of morning frost. Winds from the southeast at 15 to 20 km/h, tending to the east in the middle of the day and becoming weak at night.
Saturday: Summary Min 1Max 19 Early frosts. Partly cloudy. Chance of rain: 10 percent.
Canberra area: Partly cloudy. Areas of frost early in the morning. Winds will be light, from the northeast, 15 to 20 km/h in the middle of the day and then become light at night.
Sunday: Min 5 Max 20 Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 2 mm. Chance of rain: 50 percent.
Canberra area: Cloudy. Average chance of showers, more likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds will be light northwesterly at 15 to 25 km/h during the day and then become light overnight.
On Thursday, the Central Tablelands of New South Wales saw a spring snowfall, courtesy of the freezing weather.
Adelaide
Friday: Maximum 22 Sunny. Chance of rain: 0 percent.
Adelaide area: Sunny. Winds from north to northeast at 15 to 20 km/h with a tendency from east to northeast in the early afternoon.
Saturday: Min 13 Max 26 Rains developing. Possible precipitation: 1 to 7 mm. Chance of rain: 90 percent.
Adelaide Area: Mostly sunny morning. Very high chance of rain in the late afternoon and evening. Winds from the north to northeast at 25 to 35 km/h tending north to northwest at 20 to 30 km/h in the afternoon.
Sunday: Min 12 Max 18. The showers decrease. Possible precipitation: 1 to 6 mm. Chance of rain: 90 percent.
Adelaide Area: Partly cloudy. High chance of rain, most likely in the morning. Northwest winds at 20 to 30 km/h turning southwest during the morning.
Perth
Friday: Maximum 19 Showers. Possible precipitation: 3 to 15 mm. Chance of rain: 95 percent.
Perth area: Cloudy. Very high chance of rain, becoming less likely in the late afternoon and evening. Winds from the west to northwest at 15 to 20 km/h, turning from the southwest at 25 to 35 km/h during the morning and early afternoon and then 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 rain: 30 percent.
Perth area: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers in the morning and early afternoon. Light southwesterly winds of 15 to 20 km/h in the middle of the day and then light at night.
Sunday: Min 8 Max 20 Partly cloudy. Chance of rain: 10 percent.
Perth area: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of rain in southern suburbs, almost none elsewhere. Light southwesterly winds at 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon and then light at night.
Rain should ease on Sunday in most areas, according to the Bureau of Meteorology
Darwin
Friday: Max 33 Possible shower. Possible precipitation: 0 to 2 mm. Chance of rain: 40 percent.
Darwin City and Outer Darwin Area: Partly cloudy. Average chance of showers and chance of thunderstorms early this morning, then again this afternoon and early evening. Light winds that turn from the north to northwest at 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon and become light at night.
Saturday: Min 25 Max 33. Partly cloudy. Chance of rain: 20 percent.
Darwin City and Outer Darwin Area: Partly cloudy. Little chance of showers. Light winds that will arrive from the west to northwest at 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon and then become light at night.
Sunday: Min 26 Max 35 Partly cloudy. Chance of rain: 20 percent.
Darwin City and Outer Darwin Area: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers, more likely in the afternoon. Chance of a thunderstorm over the Cox Peninsula in the morning and afternoon. Light winds that will arrive from the west to northwest at 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon and then become light during the night.
hobart
Friday: Max 17 Partly cloudy. Chance of rain: 5 percent.
Hobart Area: Partly cloudy. Winds from the northwest at 15 to 20 km/h, becoming light in the middle of the day.
Saturday: Min 4 Max 21 Mostly sunny. Chance of rain: 5 percent.
Hobart area: Mostly sunny. Chance of frost in the east early in the morning. Light northerly winds at 15 to 20 km/h in the late afternoon.
Sunday: Min 10Max 20Shower or two. Possible precipitation: 0 to 2 mm. Chance of rain: 60 percent.
Hobart area: Cloudy. Average chance of showers, more likely in the morning and afternoon. North winds at 25 to 35 km/h turning northwest during the day and decreasing to 20 to 30 km/h at night.