Tasmanians are being urged to brace for severe weather as heavy rain, wind and thunderstorms are forecast to impact the state over the weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology say while it is ‘hard to predict’ where the system will hit, eastern parts of the state including Hobart and Launceston are expected to be affected.
Senior Meteorologist Brooke Oakley forecasts the rain will develop from early this morning and persist through the weekend, with a transition to showers by Sunday.
“We can’t say exactly where will be affected,” Oakley said.
Oakley said that while such weather patterns aren’t rare, the scale of this low-pressure system’s crossing is unusual.
Rainfall predictions for the weekend indicate widespread totals between 30 to 50 millimetres, particularly in eastern Tasmania, with even higher isolated totals possible in the southeast.
Leon Smith, Assistant Director of Operations with the State Emergency Service (SES), stressed the importance of preparedness.
“There’s a high level of uncertainty in regard to the location and where the system’s going to track,” he said.
“We do know that wherever severe thunderstorms do impact, there is significant potential for flash flooding and significant risk associated with that for the public.”
SES – WHAT TO DO:
- Supervise children closely.
- Check that family and neighbours are aware of warnings.
- Manage pets and livestock.
- Secure outdoor items including furniture and play equipment.
- Be prepared in case of power outages and report any outages to TasNetworks on 132 004.
- Beware of damaged trees and power lines and take care when driving.
- Check TasAlert for further advice.
