Thunderstorms could threaten the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday and Wednesday as a broad cloud band moves to the coastline.
Forecasters suggest the region could get some much-needed rain from the system, which has been shifting slowly eastwards.
There was a 90% chance of rain for Tuesday, becoming less likely in the afternoon and evening, and the chance of a thunderstorm.
There was a chance of showers from Wednesday to Friday, and the possibility of storms.
“There’s a good chance of getting some thunderstorms, probably isolated,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Helen Kirkup said on Monday.
“There’s a reasonable chance of getting some rumbles out of it.
“It ill be on Tuesday that we’re more likely to see rainfall and possibly thunderstorms,” Ms Kirkup said.
“We could see about 10 to 15mm in some places.
“It will somewhat clear on Wednesday but there’s still a 50% chance of showers on Wednesday and Thursday.”
Maroochydore has had just 36mm of rain during the past two months, which is significantly less than the long-term averages of 69mm and 51mm for August and September.
Ms Kirkup was unsure whether this week’s predicted storms would be severe.
“But I wouldn’t rule it out,” she said.
She said the system was not like usual summer storms.
“The classic build-up (with summer storms) is for it to get really hot in the afternoon, with a lot of moisture and you see the clouds building, driven by the heat of the day.”
“But this system is a bit different in the sense that it’s a big cloud band moving across with the trough, and it’s got upper-level instability.
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“Those clouds can become very tall and build into thunderstorm clouds.
“This is a much bigger and broader system coming through (compared to classic summer storms).”
Ms Kirkup said a southerly wind change should arrive on Tuesday.
“So, when that comes through it will combine with this upper-level instability and that’s how we could get some more decent storms, but it is dependent on the timing of that change.”
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The temperature reached 28C at Maroochydore on Monday, but we should receive cooler weather by Wednesday.
“We should get a 5C drop because of the cloud and rain coming through, with cooler air moving up the coast.”
“Then it should warm up on Thursday and Friday.”
Ms Kirkup predicted some significant waves by the end of the week.
“There’s a good chance we’ll see some reasonable swell around.”
Dry spell
Monthly rainfall in 2021, compared to the historical mean monthly rainfall (for Sunshine Coast Airport).
- May: 107mm, 149mm.
- June: 12mm, 115m.
- July: 46mm, 65mm.
- August: 20mm, 69mm.
- September: 9mm, 51mm.
- October: 17mm so far, 92mm.
