I have most of the FD setup ready for this weekend BUT my XYL made me aware of this update on the Higgins Stormchasing website this morning
https://higginsstormchasing.com/low-pres...qld-nensw/ :
"Low pressure system forecast to hit Brisbane, SEQLD & NENSW
PLEASE READ!!! HEADS UP SEVERE WEATHER ALERT THIS WEEKEND for the South East Coast, Darling Downs and Granite Belt in QLD, Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast in NSW. Issued on Thursday 16/3/17.
A strong low pressure system is currently forecast to cross the coast near Brisbane this weekend bringing a severe weather threat to South East and Southern inland QLD. There is a significant flood risk to North East NSW during the weekend with a further 300mm of rain forecast from this system.
Current high resolution computer model forecast data develops a very strong trough along the New South Wales coast with a low offshore from South East Queensland during Friday. This low then rapidly moves West on Saturday slamming North East NSW and South East QLD with strong to damaging winds, heavy rain and damaging surf. During Sunday it is expected to continue West through Southern and South East inland QLD producing heavy rain and strong winds, not just to inland regions but also continuing along the coast. Subscribe to HSC for detailed 3 day storm and rainfall forecast maps across QLD and NSW here!
In South East QLD on Saturday and Sunday the highest risk areas for severe weather is currently forecast to be South of a line from about Brisbane to Dalby near to the lows center and anywhere South of it. This threat may also extend further North to include the Sunshine Coast and adjacent inland areas depending on EXACTLY where the low crosses the coast. Major locations including the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich, Gatton, Beaudesert, Toowoomba and Warwick could see very heavy rain up to 100mm causing flash flooding. Strong to damaging winds up to 100kms per hour are also possible along the exposed coast and elevated terrain developing late on Saturday continuing into early Sunday. Damaging and dangerous surf of 3 to 5 metres is likely to develop along the South QLD Coast during the weekend. On Monday and Tuesday the wet weather continues across the South East while spreading further North to include the Wide Bay & Burnett and Capricornia districts. This will be due to a very moist onshore flow producing scattered showers.
In North East NSW the equation is more simple… Recent widespread heavy rainfall of 100 to 200mm has already fallen from Port Macquarie North to the QLD border causing flash flooding and saturating catchments. Heavy rain is forecast to return late Friday and last through the weekend with a further 150 to 300mm likely over the same area. This heavy rain will cause a significant flash flood and river flood risk to these areas. Strong to possibly damaging Southerly winds are forecast to develop along the Central and North coasts during Friday. Winds then turn strong to possibly damaging Easterlies late on Saturday through the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers. Damaging and dangerous surf of 3 to 5 metres is likely to develop along the North East Coast during the weekend. Scattered showers are likely to continue on Monday and Tuesday.
We are urging everyone to keep up with the latest forecasts and warnings during the next 4 days, especially over the weekend! Should forecast changes and amendments be required we will do so to this post while producing new ones. You will see “updated” at the top or a link to the new forecast. Stay safe everyone and remember IF IT’S FLOODED FORGET IT! "
I will make a final decision about going portable tomorrow morning (Sat, 18th) but it is not looking too promising for any SE Q'ld operations over the weekend. I will operate from home (on the same bands HF, 6,2,70) if going portable is not a reasonable option.
The rules are at http://www.wia.org.au/members/contests/johnmoyle/
Note the times on the 18th-19th March 2017 will run from UTC 0100 on the Saturday to 0059 on the Sunday.
The contest rules for 2017 remained modified to ensure more logs are submitted, by requiring that
if any station works the same station a total of more than 10 times on any band or on any mode then the logs from both station should be submitted to verify those contacts.
Doug VK4ADC
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