Heavy rains, flood threat dampen start to new year

Keira Jenkins | January 1, 2024

The threat of dangerous flooding has returned as heavy rain batters parts of southeast Queensland in a soggy start to the new year.

Intense falls in some areas could lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash floods, the Bureau of Meteorology warned on Monday morning.

The weather is forecast to affect residents at Coolangatta, Logan, Beenleigh, Tamborine Mountain and Springbrook.

Upper Springbrook on the Gold Coast had already recorded almost 300mm of rain in the 12 hours to 7am on Monday, while 165mm fell at both Binna Burra and Worongary Creek in the same period, the bureau said.

“The heaviest rainfall will be associated with shower and thunderstorm activity, which is likely to be hit-and-miss in nature across the warning area,” it added in an alert.

“There is significant uncertainty in the movement and timing of features but at this stage the heavy rainfall risk may persist into Tuesday morning and may extend further north.”

Eighteen roads on the Gold Coast were closed on Monday morning due to flooding.

Queensland Police urged people to stay off the road as wild weather returned to the southeast.

“Even in the early hours of this morning we were detecting drivers speeding, not driving to the conditions and being an absolute menace,” Assistant Commissioner Chris Stream said.

Northeast NSW is also on high alert for heavy rain and flash flooding.

Downpours that could lead to flash flooding were predicted for the Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands regions on Monday.

Flood warnings also include the Tweed River at Murwillumbah and Tumbulgum.

Up to 160mm of rain could fall in periods of between three and six hours, with 24-hour totals above 250mm were also possible.

“Localised intense rainfall is possible under areas of persistent heavy thunderstorms,” it said.

Coffs Harbour Airport recorded more than 188mm in the three hours to 2.50pm on Sunday.