Brisbane braces as wet weather system breaks dry spell

Wet weather that hit Brisbane late on Thursday is forecast to be followed by a day of heavy rain.

Moisture over the east coast of Queensland brought the rain ashore, and the damp conditions were predicted to linger until winds from the west brought dry weather.

The rain is expected to ease into showers throughout Friday afternoon and evening, with more falls predicted for the weekend.

“It’ll still be showers throughout the weekend, but [Friday is] the biggest rain,” Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Shane Kennedy said.

Wet weather should envelop Brisbane for days, with humidity creeping in between showers.

The city may receive up to 30 millimetres of rainfall on Friday.

Kennedy noted February had been a dry month overall.

“Compared to February averages, we’re typically sitting at around 10 to 20 per cent of what we’d expect during February. In Brisbane City, for example, we tend to see around 170 millimetres of February, but we’re running at about 60.

“It’s been even drier a bit further west.”

In Ipswich, the February average is 177 millimetres, and the city has so far this year had 26 millimetres. At Amberley Airport, where about 120 millimetres is the average by this time of year, only 40 millimetres has fallen.

“This probably won’t get us back up to average, but it should at least be some welcome rain for those yards which may be struggling a bit this month,” Kennedy said.

Rainfall is expected to be heavier near the coast, and will lose strength as it progresses inland.

“So a bit less rainfall for the western suburbs.”

The bureau is not forecasting thunderstorms, but if any occur they will probably not be in the Brisbane region.

The rain was not expected to be enough to cause flash flooding but storm drains might overflow.

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