Current at 12.30pm (AEDT), Feb 27
Weather warnings remain current for south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales for dangerous and potentially life-threatening flooding.
In a statement this morning the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said major flooding is already occurring across numerous rivers including the Mary River at Gympie, parts of the Upper Brisbane River, and the Bremer River at Ipswich. Rivers across both states are still rising, and major flooding is possible at Lismore and Grafton.
This map below shows current flood warnings as at Sunday 8am AEDT: Major (red), Moderate (orange) and Minor (green). Check conditions for your local area as warnings are being updated regularly.
Overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning, heavy rain continued to fall across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and the far north-east corner of NSW with widespread falls of 100-300mm and higher isolated totals.
Between 9am Saturday to Sunday 8am AEDT, the highest falls included:
• 456mm at Mt Glorious, Qld (1,165mm since 9am Friday)
• 356mm at Rose Creek Rd at Elimbah, Qld
• 318mm at Beerburrum, Qld
• 300mm at Caboolture, Qld
• 258mm at Highvale, Qld
• 212mm at Brisbane City, Qld (438mm since 9am Friday)
• 200mm at Numinbah, NSW
• 189mm at Upper Rous River, NSW
• 163mm at Tweed Heads, NSW
• 150mm at Mullumbimby, NSW
⚠️🌧️Warning continues for heavy to locally intense rainfall for #SEQ. All of #Brisbane, #GoldCoast and #Ipswich still at risk today. Eased conditions for #WideBay and northern #SunshineCoast. Flood hazards will persist after rainfall has eased. https://t.co/GkCRLjuHZg @QldFES pic.twitter.com/O1iOt5eiKp
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 27, 2022
Heavy rain is expected to continue through Sunday across south-east Qld, while extending further south along the NSW Northern Rivers district and northern parts of the Mid North Coast through the day. Damaging winds and hazardous surf conditions will also impact coastal areas.
BOM said rain will ease to showers for south-east Qld into Monday morning, however heavy falls are still likely about north-east NSW. Flooding will have significant impacts on communities well after the rain has stopped.
Transport and Main Roads said the Bruce Highway will remain closed between Caboolture and Caloundra in both directions until further notice.
“Alternate routes are also closed due to serious flooding. Right now there are 46 state-controlled roads closed across the North Coast, along with lots of other local roads.
“We’re monitoring the situation closely and carrying out safety inspections as soon as flooding allows.”
The NHVR advised truckies to stay up to date with road conditions here, or call 131940.
For information for heavy vehicle access across flood-affected areas click here.
Meanwhile, flood-stricken communities are rallying to help stranded truckies caught in the wild weather, according to social media reports.
On one Facebook post yesterday, Gympie locals Lyle and Barb Mutzelburg said the Chatsworth Hall committee had opened the Chatsworth Hall to help the “bunch of trucks stopped on the highway at Chatsworth with nowhere to go”.
“We have toilets, a kitchen, and tea/coffee facilities. We don’t have anywhere to park trucks but we’re just next door to Chatsworth school.
“We can also drive up and down the line picking up any truckies who want to come up but are too far up the highway. If you have a friend or family member who is one of those truckies, please let them know they have somewhere safe and dry to go to.”
A truckie’s partner also advised one Facebook group that the Gold Nugget Roadhouse in Gympie is putting on a BBQ for all those stranded.
“They are helping those that they can and where they are able too. They have no power, but allowing showers even if they are cold.”