Weather Outlook for the Weekend: Wet and Cold Conditions Across Australia
As the weekend approaches, Australians are being warned to prepare for a wet and cold spell. A massive 3,000km-long cloud band stretching from the Indian Ocean to Australia’s interior is expected to move eastward, bringing with it a range of weather changes.
Anthony Sharwood, a meteorologist at Weatherzone, explained that this system will have two main impacts. First, cooler daytime temperatures in inland areas due to cloud cover limiting warming, even if rain is minimal. Second, increased chances of rainfall as tropical moisture shifts further east, feeding into parts of Queensland and New South Wales.
The moisture from the Coral Sea is also contributing to the ongoing rainfall in eastern Australia, with persistent showers expected along the east coast over the coming days. The tail end of the system reached the eastern states by Wednesday afternoon, but the rain isn’t expected to begin in Queensland and northern NSW until Friday. This delay is due to the interaction between the cloud band and a coastal low-pressure system.
By Saturday, the wet weather is forecast to intensify, with Central Queensland likely to experience the heaviest rainfall. Areas between Yeppoon and Maryborough could receive up to 300mm of rain. Fortunately, the rain is expected to ease quickly on Sunday, bringing some relief.
Meanwhile, high pressure over southeast Australia is set to bring mostly dry conditions. However, another system in the west is expected to bring rain to Western Australia’s southwest region, with up to 50mm of rainfall anticipated between Perth and Albany.
City-by-City Forecast
Sydney
– Friday: Partly cloudy with a medium chance of showers, most likely in the evening. Light winds will become southeast to southwesterly early in the morning before easing later. Minimum 11°C, maximum 18°C.
– Saturday: Cloudy with a very high chance of showers. Winds will shift from southeast to southwesterly, then southerly later in the day. Minimum 12°C, maximum 17°C.
– Sunday: Cloudy with a high chance of showers. Winds will shift from southerly to southeasterly throughout the day. Minimum 12°C, maximum 17°C.
Melbourne
– Friday: Mostly sunny with a chance of morning fog and areas of frost. Light winds. Minimum 5°C, maximum 15°C.
– Saturday: Frost and fog in the morning, followed by a sunny afternoon. Light winds. Minimum 4°C, maximum 15°C.
– Sunday: Mostly sunny with a chance of morning fog in the northeast suburbs. Light winds. Minimum 3°C, maximum 18°C.
Brisbane
– Friday: Cloudy with a high chance of showers. Winds from south to southeasterly. Minimum 14°C, maximum 20°C.
– Saturday: Cloudy with a very high chance of rain. Winds remain strong from south to southeasterly. Minimum 13°C, maximum 19°C.
– Sunday: Partly cloudy with a high chance of showers, mainly in the morning and afternoon. Winds will ease by the evening. Minimum 13°C, maximum 21°C.
Perth
– Friday: Becoming cloudy with a high chance of showers, especially in the afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms possible in the southwest. Winds shift from northeasterly to northwesterly. Minimum 11°C, maximum 20°C.
– Saturday: Cloudy with a very high chance of showers and thunderstorms in the southwest. Winds shift from northerly to northwesterly. Minimum 11°C, maximum 21°C.
– Sunday: Partly cloudy with a very high chance of showers in the morning. Winds shift from west to southwesterly. Minimum 11°C, maximum 18°C.
Adelaide
– Friday: Cloudy with a slight chance of showers. Winds start light and turn northeasterly during the day. Minimum 6°C, maximum 16°C.
– Saturday: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers. Winds shift to northeasterly. Minimum 10°C, maximum 19°C.
– Sunday: Mostly sunny in the morning with a slight chance of showers later. Winds shift to northerly. Minimum 12°C, maximum 19°C.
Hobart
– Friday: Cloudy with a slight chance of showers. Winds shift from light to southeasterly. Minimum 7°C, maximum 14°C.
– Saturday: Partly cloudy with light winds. Minimum 5°C, maximum 14°C.
– Sunday: Partly cloudy with light winds. Winds shift to east to northeasterly. Minimum 5°C, maximum 15°C.
Canberra
– Friday: Partly cloudy with areas of morning frost. Winds shift from south to southeasterly. Minimum -1°C, maximum 15°C.
– Saturday: Cloudy with areas of morning frost and a slight chance of showers. Winds shift to southeasterly. Minimum -1°C, maximum 15°C.
– Sunday: Cloudy with a slight chance of showers, mainly in the morning and afternoon. Winds shift to southeasterly. Minimum 3°C, maximum 15°C.
Darwin
– Friday: Sunny with a chance of morning fog near the Cox Peninsula. Light winds. Minimum 21°C, maximum 33°C.
– Saturday: Sunny with a chance of morning fog. Light winds. Minimum 21°C, maximum 33°C.
– Sunday: Sunny with light winds. Minimum 20°C, maximum 32°C.