Handy rainfalls heading into the south, with a potential cyclone looming

Jane Bunn
March 20, 2025
5 min read

Updated - Thursday 20th March:

Heavy rain and flooding returned to northern Queensland early this week, and it's still going.

The heaviest falls are on the east coast, but significant rain extends across the north, and less significant rain down into the southeast:

Satellite, radar and rain totals (since 9am yesterday) as of Thursday morning

Forecasts show that there is still a lot of rain to come for northern Queensland, extending across the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia - and the pattern may become conducive to a tropical low or cyclone developing off the northwest coast - late in the weekend but more likely early next week.

But it's not just the far north seeing the rain.

Potential rainfall over the next week

The southeast has the potential for significant rain on Thursday into Friday this week, as that moisture from the north meets up with low pressure moving across the south. The timing of the "moisture meet up" has a lot of impact on how much rain the south receives - and it waits until moving into NSW, Tasmania, northwestern Victoria and eastern Victoria before having a big impact. Southern SA and southwestern Victoria miss the widespread heavier falls, and southern WA misses out completely.

There is another connection into the south due next week, but at this stage, this one isn't looking as fruitful in the far south. There may be teasing clouds, and rain falling over the interior, but not quite making it towards the coast.

That does depend on what happens with the potential cyclone - so watch this space - the rain link into the south may occur beyond the current range of the models (the next 10 days).

As always, see the latest day by day rain maps here, and the latest climate drivers that influence our weather here. And don't miss the latest forecast for your spot here.

Jane Bunn
March 20, 2025
5 min read