A cold front moving across southeastern Australia is expected to bring cooler temperatures throughout next week, following a cold, wet, and windy spring weekend in New South Wales and Victoria.
Rain is forecast for southeastern Queensland and the New South Wales mid- and north coasts in the coming days, but rainfall amounts are not anticipated to be as heavy as those experienced over the weekend.
Melbourne is projected to experience a frosty start on Monday morning, with temperatures expected to reach 9°C before rising to a high of 19°C during the day. Sydney will be warmer, with a morning low of 17°C and a high of 20°C. Up to 7mm of rain is anticipated for parts of Sydney, while Melbourne has a higher chance of light showers on Tuesday.
Canberra can expect cool evenings for the next week, with nighttime temperatures dipping to 7°C. Hobart is forecast to reach a low of 9°C overnight on Monday.
The chilly weather follows heavy wind and rain that battered residents of New South Wales and southeastern Queensland on Saturday night. Authorities issued flood warnings, which were subsequently downgraded.
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) responded to over 270 calls for assistance in the 24 hours leading up to 9 am on Sunday, and received a total of 628 calls since Friday's severe weather began. Significant rescues were conducted, including two adults and an infant from rising floodwaters in Cougal, west of Tweed Heads, and another rescue in nearby Uki involving a vehicle that became stuck on a causeway. Two additional individuals were rescued after driving into floodwaters late Saturday and early Sunday morning.
Approximately 4,300 energy customers in the region were without power on Saturday night. Hundreds remained without power, although easing conditions were expected to facilitate restoration efforts.
A senior meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) attributed the severe weather along the NSW coast to a cold front moving up from the south and a low-pressure system off the state's northern coast. "We've seen some very strong winds and high rainfall totals, but the low is beginning to weaken and move away from the coast," the meteorologist stated.
The SES downgraded flood warnings on Sunday morning after heavy rain and flooding around Lismore. "The flood risk remains, but at a minor level," the SES reported.
Minor flooding is anticipated in the Tweed, Rous, Wilsons, Richmond, and Orara rivers. A minor-to-moderate flood warning remains in effect for the Bellinger River. Severe weather warnings for the northern rivers and northern tablelands districts have been cancelled, providing relief from the strong winds that impacted the region.
Across northern Australia, the Top End and Kimberley regions are experiencing hotter-than-average temperatures, with heatwave conditions developing. "We anticipate extremely warm days and nights in these areas," the meteorologist noted.
