22/04/2026
Ok I have found some rain on the forecast charts between now and Sunday across Eastern parts of NENSW & SEQLD - every drop counts from now on!
To give you a better idea of the situation, the Hunter, Mid North Coast & Northern Rivers districts are 300-400mm below average so far in 2026 already. The Northern Tablelands, North West Slopes & Plains, Warrego & Maranoa, Darling Downs & Granite Belt and South East Coast districts are 200mm+ below average. This lack of rainfall has occurred during the hottest months of the year.
Sadly for inland areas west of a line from Kingaroy, Toowoomba, Warwick, Stanthorpe, Tenterfield, Armidale to Muswellbrook there is minimal if any rain for at least the next week. Keep hanging in there guys, we are not going to create false hope by wish casting beyond 7-10 days.
A large high in the Tasman Sea will continue to produce moderate South Easterly onshore winds for the rest of this week. These winds will eventually carry some extra moisture into the NENSW coast from tomorrow. This moisture increases further on Friday plus reaches the QLD South East Coast & Wide Bay Burnett districts during the weekend. An upper trough of colder air in the mid levels of the atmosphere comes in over NENSW & SEQLD from Friday - Sunday. This is very important because it generates increased instability levels.
On Friday, Saturday & Sunday, Scattered showers, rain areas and isolated storms are forecast across the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers reaching into the Eastern Northern Tablelands (ranges). Some useful falls and totals are likely in these areas. During this time some scattered showers are likely for the Hunter district with lower overall totals. This rain activity will really struggle to push further inland west of the ranges due to the orographic lift rain shadow effect.
For SEQLD any showers are expected to remain very light and mostly clipping the offshore islands between now and Friday morning. On Friday afternoon some showers and isolated weak storms are possible across the South East Coast and far Eastern Darling Downs with mainly light falls.
During Saturday & Sunday the showers, some patchy rain areas and isolated weak storms are likely to increase across the South East Coast. Some lighter activity developing into the Wide Bay Burnett and possible on the far Eastern Downs (ranges). Totals will be higher along the coastal fringe tampering off the further inland you go. Similar to NENSW any rain activity in SEQLD will struggle to get west of the ranges due to the rain shadow effect.
Coastal showers may continue into next week but lets not get too far ahead ourselves as forecast accuracy tapers off. We will provide updated information each day. This is always available on our website and app > higginsstormchasing.com/subscribe/
Image = EC Model accumulated rain until Sunday night via WeatherWatch.
