Publication Date March 27, 2018 | The Watchers

Extremely heavy rain floods Queensland, Australia

Australia

Ex-Tropical Cyclone "Nora" dumped extremely heavy rain on parts of Queensland over the past 24 - 48 hours, causing major floods and emergency evacuations. Many locations exceeded or even doubled their March average rainfall.

Exceptional rainfall totals have been recorded this week in Tropical North Queensland, and particularly the last 24 hrs around Cairns. The rain is a result of ex-Tropical Cyclone "Nora," which currently lies over the Cape York Peninsula, and connects to a monsoon trough towards the east, bringing very moist air from the Coral Sea.

Port Douglas, for example, recorded an extraordinary 593 mm (23 inches) of rainfall in 24 hours to 09:00 AEST on March 26. Widespread daily rainfall of 100 - 400 mm (3.93 - 15.7 inches) were registered in 24 hours to 09:00 AEST today along the coastal strip from Cairns to Townsville. 

Cairns received more than 260 mm (10.23 inches) of rain in 24 hours with some areas to the north recording more than 500 mm (19.68 inches)