Source: Bureau of Meteorology

Issued at 12:41 pm EST on Sunday 17 March 2024

Flood Watch Number: 6

FLOODING OVER NORTH TROPICAL COAST CATCHMENTS LIKELY TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS

RENEWED FLOODING LIKELY OVER PARTS OF THE GULF COUNTRY FROM MONDAY

ELEVATED RIVER LEVELS CONTINUING ACROSS THE CAPE YORK PENINSULA

The monsoon trough extends across the Gulf of Carpentaria and central Cape York Peninsula. The trough will persist for several days and may remain relatively slow-moving during the rest of Sunday and early next week, enhancing rainfall over parts of North and Far North Queensland. The trough may start to shift further north from mid-week. Elsewhere, Tropical Cyclone Megan in the Gulf of Carpentaria is expected to move south and intensify through the remainder of the weekend, before making landfall early in the new week.

Catchments within the Flood Watch area are relatively wet. Many rivers and creeks are elevated following recent rainfall and are expected to respond quickly to the forecast heavy rainfall.

Abnormally high tides are expected along the Gulf Coast during the weekend and into the coming week.

Localised heavy falls with thunderstorm activity and moderate widespread rainfall are forecast for parts of the Cape York Peninsula, Gulf of Carpentaria, and the North Tropical Coast over the next few days.

The heaviest rainfall is forecast to occur over the North Tropical Coast and coastal areas within the north western Gulf of Carpentaria catchments.

Elevated river levels are likely to continue into the coming week across Cape York Peninsula catchments. Elsewhere within the Flood Watch area, river level rises and minor to moderate riverine flooding are likely, with isolated major flooding possible.

Localised flooding, isolation of communities and disruption to transport routes are possible within the Flood Watch area over the next few days.

Catchments likely to be affected include:

Settlement Creek
Nicholson River
Leichhardt River
Lower Flinders River
Cloncurry River
Gilbert River
Jardine River
Ducie, Jackson and Skardon Rivers
Wenlock River
Embley and Mission Rivers
Watson River
Archer and Coen Rivers
Holroyd and Kendall Rivers
Coleman and Edward Rivers
Mitchell River(Including Magnificent Creek - Kowanyama)
Staaten River
Jacky Jacky Creek
Olive and Pascoe Rivers
Lockhart River
Stewart River
Normanby River(Including the Laura River)
Jeannie River
Endeavour River(Including the Annan River)
Barron River
Johnstone River
Tully River
Murray River
Herbert River

Flood warnings are current for the Daintree, Mossman, Mulgrave and Russell Rivers on the North Tropical Coast. A flood warning is also current for the Norman River within the Gulf of Carpentaria catchments, while flooding is no longer expected in the upper Flinders River.

See www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings to view the current flood, weather and cyclone products for Queensland.

For more information on the Flood Watch Service: http://www.bom.gov.au/water/floods/floodWarningServices.shtml

Flood Safety Advice:
This Flood Watch means that people living or working along rivers and creeks should monitor the latest weather forecasts and warnings.

Remember: If it's flooded, forget it.

For flood emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

For life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

Current emergency information is available at www.qld.gov.au/alerts.

This advice is also available by dialling 1300 659 219 at a low call cost of 27.5 cents, more from mobile, public and satellite phones.

Warning, rainfall and river information are available at www.bom.gov.au/qld/flood/

Rainfall and River Conditions Map