Flood watch Number 2

Bureau of Meteorology, Tasmania

Flood Watch for the Eastern half of Tasmania

Note: This Flood Watch is a "heads up" for possible future flooding and is NOT a Flood Warning.

Issued at 10:07am on Thursday 10 May 2018

By the Bureau of Meteorology, Hobart.

Flood Watch Number: 2

Flood Watch continues for catchments in the north, northeast, east coast, central and southeast of Tasmania and the Furneaux Islands.

A complex low pressure system is approaching southeast Australia. Significant rainfall is expected during Thursday and Friday across the eastern half of Tasmania.

Catchments are dry in the central and eastern parts of the State. The North Esk and Huon catchments are relatively wet from antecedent rainfall.

Southern and eastern Tasmania are expected to receive 20-50 mm of rainfall on Thursday, with locally higher totals in elevated areas. Snow is possible above 1000 m on Thursday only.

Friday is likely to see widespread rainfall totals of 30-60 mm across eastern and central parts of the State. Higher rainfall totals up to 80 mm are possible locally and in elevated areas.

Due to the nature of the complex low there is uncertainty in the forecast rainfall.

River rises are expected in response to the forecast rainfall. Flooding may develop in some catchments from overnight Thursday into Friday onwards, with the severity depending on the rainfall totals. Further catchment specific warnings will be issued if and when required.

Strong and dangerous flows and rapid rises are expected in small creeks in locations that receive heavy rainfall.

Catchments likely to be affected include:

Furneaux Islands

North Esk River

South Esk River

Meander River

Macquarie River

East Coastal Rivers (north of Bicheno)

Ringarooma River

North Coastal Rivers

Tamar (Launceston)

Huon River

Channel Coastal Rivers (South East Cape to Gordon)

Derwent River

Jordan River

Coal River

East Coastal Rivers (south of Bicheno)

South East

Note: This Flood Watch is a "heads up" for possible future flooding and is NOT a Flood Warning. The Bureau of Meteorology does not provide a flood warning service for all of the catchments covered by this flood watch. For more information on the Flood Watch Service: http://www.bom.gov.au/water/floods/floodWarningServices.shtml

For the latest warnings see www.bom.gov.au/tas/warnings

For the latest rainfall and river level information see www.bom.gov.au/tas/flood

For the latest weather forecast see www.bom.gov.au/tas/forecasts

Flood Safety Advice:

FloodSafe advice is available at www.ses.tas.gov.au

Road closure information is available at www.police.tas.gov.au

For emergency assistance call the SES on telephone number 132 500.

For life threatening situations, call 000 immediately.

Next Issue:

The next Flood Watch will be issued by 10am on Friday 11 May 2018.