THE Bureau of Meteorology has issued a Flood Watch for several areas including the Derwent catchment. This Flood Watch is a “heads up” for possible future flooding and is not a Flood Warning.

Issued at 12:59pm on Saturday 15 August 2020, by the Bureau of Meteorology, Hobart.

Flood Watch Number: 2

Minor flooding is likely to develop in the flood watch catchments during Sunday and moderate flooding is possible in some areas. A low-pressure centre will move to the northeast of Tasmania during Sunday bringing heavy rain to the east of the state.

Most catchments in the flood watch area are relatively wet from recent rainfall. In the 24 hours to 9am Saturday, localised rainfall totals up to 77mm were recorded in northeastern Tasmania near St Marys.

Showers will persist for most parts of Tasmania during Saturday. Rain will redevelop Sunday with a further 50-100mm expected for the east coast, with some locally higher falls possible. Rainfall totals of 20-40 mm are possible for the southeast during Sunday, with some higher totals possible over elevated areas.

River rises are occurring and with the forecast rain minor flooding is likely to develop in the flood watch catchments during Sunday and moderate flooding is possible in some areas.

Catchments likely to be affected include: Derwent River (including Rivers Ouse and Clyde), Jordan River, Coal River (Craigbourne Dam is now full), 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), East Coastal Rivers (south of Bicheno), and South East. Flooding warnings are current for the following catchments: North Esk River, South Esk River.

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 visit 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

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.

The next Flood Watch will be issued by 1pm Sunday 16 August 2020.