Thank You & Goodnight

After much consideration, I've decided to step back from weathergc.

I've enjoyed providing updates and volunteering my time - especially during severe weather events. However unless I pay for advertising & promotion out of my own pocket, I'll never reach a wider audience and cannot justify the continued time and expense.

The Facebook page, Twitter account and Blog will remain as an archive, but as of today will be in "offline" mode and will not be monitored or updated.

Please refer to Bureau of Meteorology www.bom.gov.au for all weather and warning information.

Thank you for following, hope to see you sometime again in the future.

Take care, Jeff.

May-day: Severe weather to batter Gold Coast

Heavy rain totalling 200-400mm, damaging winds up to 90 km/h, dangerous surf with significant beach erosion, and tides 0.5m above normal are set to batter the Gold Coast and south-east Queensland on the first day of May 2015.

Queenslanders warned to brace for heavy rain as potential east coast low develops - ABC News
South-east Queensland is set for a wet end to the week according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), with more than 300mm falls possible in coastal areas.

East Coast Lows: NSW one week, QLD the next?

After New South Wales copped wild weather last week thanks to an East Coast Low (ECL), another is likely to develop towards the end of this week - and could be headed our way.

Ex-TC Marcia: When will she impact the Gold Coast?

8:50pm Update: Ex-tropical cyclone Marcia continues to move off the southeast Queensland coast with the heaviest rain bypassing most of the Gold Coast. However the possibility for damaging winds and dangerous surf conditions remain.

Un-easy calm as weakening Marcia heads for Gold Coast

Although rain has eased across the Gold Coast this evening, conditions are expected to deteriorate again during Saturday as a weakening Marcia moves into southeast Queensland.

Cyclone Marcia Track map and Forecast Wind
as at 7pm, Friday 20 February 2015

20/02 Road Closures (7pm Update)

As at 7:00pm, 131940.qld.gov.au reporting the following road incidents across the Gold Coast (check website for latest information):

Closed to all vehicles/through traffic due to flooding:

CLAGIRABA ROAD, CLAGIRABA
Clagiraba Road between Beaudesert Nerang Road and Gerara Court

CURRUMBIN CREEK ROAD, CURRUMBIN VALLEY

between Dolans Crossing and end of Currumbin Valley Road

BIRDS ROAD, GUANABA
Birds Road between Equestrian Drive and Abbott Court 

GOLD COAST SPRINGBROOK ROAD, NUMINBAH VALLEY
At Austinville Causeway (Mudgeeraba Creek)

SOMERSET DRIVE, MUDGEERABA
Somerset Drive between Franklin Drive and Bonogin Road

HARDYS ROAD, MUDGEERABA

TREES ROAD, TALLEBUDGERA
Trees Road between Kooringal Court and Ducats Road

DALTON ROAD, TALLEBUDGERA VALLEY
Daltons Road between Tallebudgera Creek Road and end

MOUNT COUGAL ROAD, TALLEBUDGERA VALLEY

Between Tallebudgera Creek Rd and END

TALLEBUDGERA CREEK ROAD, TALLEBUDGERA VALLEY
Tallebudgera Creek road between Dickfos Road and end

HOTHAM CREEK ROAD, WILLOW VALE
Hotham Creek Road between Fern Hill Drive & Rosemount Drive

RUFFLES ROAD, WILLOW VALE

Ruffles Road between #307 to end of road

Water over road hazard:

GUANABA CREEK ROAD, GUANABA
Hazard Water over road Road Closed Between Maudsland Road and Stewart Road All directions
Delays expected

SIGANTO DRIVE, HELENSVALE
At Saltwater Creek crossing

BERRIGANS ROAD, MUDGEERABA
Road Closed between Gold Coast Springbrook Road and Mark Way All directions

FRANKLIN DRIVE, MUDGEERABA
All directions

GUNSYND DRIVE, MUDGEERABA
Hazard Water over road Road Closed Between Appaloosa Court and Todman Drive All directions

OLD COACH ROAD, TALLEBUDGERA

TALLEBUDGERA CONNECTION ROAD, TALLEBUDGERA
North of Guineas Creek Rd, South of Guineas Creek Rd near Statz Crt

20/02 School closures

The following schools on or close to the Gold Coast are reported as closed today (Friday 20 February 2015):

AB Patterson
Ashmore State School
Beechmont State School
Currumbin Valley State School
Pimpama State Primary College
Pimpama State Secondary College
Tamborine Mt State School
Tamborine Mountain College
Silkwood
Somerset College
St Hilda’s

Full updated list available on the DETA website or check with your school.

The hatches are battened, Marcia gets stronger

MTSAT Colourized Infrared

Satellite Image

8:33pm Thu 19 Feb 2015

The Gold Coast spent today waiting in long queues for sandbags and battening down for 2015's most severe weather event, whilst Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcia is expected to make landfall on the central Queensland coast as a very destructive Category 5 cyclone.

When will it rain?

UPDATE 10:20PM 20/02: Here's the view of the 3-hourly rainfall breakdown across a variety of Gold Coast locations.

3-hourly rainfall forecast

as at 10:20PM, 20 February 2015

Cyclone Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! is born

7:00pm 19/02 UPDATE: Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcia now a Category 4 storm and expected to make landfall as a very destructive Category 5 cyclone. See the Cyclone Warning for more info.

Sandbags! Get your sandbags!

12:00pm 20/02 UPDATE: The Gold Coast SES at 195 Queen St, Southport are continuing to provide sandbags today (Friday) until 6pm and limiting to 12 per vehicle.

They are likely to be "FIY" (fill it yourself) bags, so bring your own shovel just in case!

As demand is high, there are long delays. Before heading off check with the SES on 132 500 or the City of Gold Coast Disaster Hotline on 1800 606 000 to see if they've got any left.

PREVIOUS UPDATES:

4:30pm UPDATE: The Gold Coast SES at 195 Queen St, Southport are continuing to provide sandbags today until 6pm and limiting to 12 per vehicle.

They are likely to be "FIY" (fill it yourself) bags, so bring your own shovel just in case!

As demand is high, there are long delays. Before heading off check with the SES on 132 500 or the City of Gold Coast Disaster Hotline on 1800 606 000 to see if they've got any left.

8:30am UPDATE: The Gold Coast SES at 195 Queen St, Southport are continuing to provide sandbags today between 8am to 6pm to residents who need them.

(Thanks to ABC Gold Coast for tweeting this info @abcgoldcoast)


9:30pm 18/02 UPDATE: The Gold Coast SES at Southport are providing sandbags this evening to residents who need them, They can be collected from 195 Queen St, Southport

(Thanks to Cr Glenn Tozer for tweeting this info @GlennontheGC)

As demand is high, before heading off check with the SES on 132 500 or the City of Gold Coast Disaster Hotline on 1800 606 000 to see if they've got any left.

EARLIER: The State Emergency Service depot at Carrara were providing "FIY" (fill it yourself) sandbags for residents of private properties today (Wednesday 18 Feb) until 6pm.

They are located on Eastlakes St at Carrara off exit 75 (near the City of Gold Coast depot).

Bring your own shovel and the SES will have bags and sand available for you to fill your own sandbags.

As this situation is being monitored closely, the availability of sand and bags along with opening hours may change. Contact the SES on 132500 to check.

Severe weather warning issued, local disaster group on alert

MTSAT Colourized Infrared
Satellite Image
8:33pm Tue 17 Feb 2015

The Gold Coast is now facing a quadruple threat on Thursday and Friday from damaging winds, heavy rainfall, abnormally high tides and dangerous surf as the low pressure system in the Coral Sea deepens and moves closer to Queensland.

Get Ready: Heavy rain, strong winds, dangerous surf on Thu/Fri

Up to 400mm rain may drench the Gold Coast by the end of the week, along with strong winds, high seas and dangerous surf conditions expected on Thursday and Friday.

Total Forecast Rainfall -
16 to 23 February 2015