Flood disaster 'of biblical proportions'

Skies in Queensland may have cleared but much of the state is still underwater.

More than 200,000 people have been affected by the worst flooding in the state's recorded history, which has hit an area bigger than France and Germany combined.

Thousands of residents saw in the New Year from evacuation centres although the weather was optimal for the revellers who flocked to vantage points overlooking the Brisbane River in the CBD.

South Australians celebrated after a day of scorching conditions, with temperatures climbing over 40 degrees and with much of the state on catastrophic fire warnings.

NYE in OZ - Sydney is Partytime

Around one billion people across the globe will watch Sydney's New Year's eve fireworks on television.

And 1.5 million people will line the harbour foreshore for a first hand experience of the pyrotechnic extravaganza.

This year's fireworks cost $5 million, but are predicted to reap $156 million for the state economy.

Vantage points identified by police as likely to attract the biggest crowds have been designated as alcohol free to cater for 'families, revellers and partygoers', NSW Premier Kristina Keneally told reporters at the same media conference.

Australians face Christmas washout

DREAMS of the great Aussie Christmas barbecue are all but washed out with the weather predicted to be wet and wild over the holiday period.

In what could be the worst present ever, rain or storms are predicted to hit Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane and Canberra on Christmas Day, according to weatherzone.com.au.

The best places to spend the day will be Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne. While the conditions won’t be perfect due to predicted cloud, at least it won’t rain.

Boxing Day is set to be even more miserable with rain or storms predicted in Darwin, Alice Springs, Cairns, Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra.

So we will be having a BBQ on the verandah out of the rain. Well at least the rain isnt fozen like in Europe!

Storm Front lashes Brisbane our garden gets hit by lightning!

Today I went out to Boonah for a gliding flight but when I got there I realised wild weather was on the way so turned round and went home. It was 35C and it just felt that a big storm wasnt far away, looking at the weather radar on the internet it showed a storm behind the mountains.

I arrived back home at 1pm just in time to see the storm front and the roll cloud arrive (see photos above!) with winds converging from two directions our house was soon battered by hailstones and driving rain coupled with lightning strikes getting closer all the time.

The sky just turned black so dark that our pool lights turned on. Our palm tree got hit by lightning (its just next to the house) and this blew out our phone and internet connection. Luckily we have mobile broadband so I can still work until the replacement modem comes next week. We went out later and bought a new phone. The storm dissappeared as quickly as it came but more is forecast for tonight.

Queensland certainly has some wild and spectacular weather, more storms are forecast tonight. Dont worry about us we'll be alright..

Big Wet just gets wetter and wetter...

I loaned my glider to a fellow club member who is taking it to a competition, we derigged it in the pouring rain on Saturday.

Falls of up to 160mm closed local roads and highways on Sunday, sparking landslides, power outages and forcing emergency services to issue numerous safety warnings.

As Emerald remained cut off in central Queensland, parts of the Gold and Sunshine coasts and Brisbane copped drenchings of their own.

In Brisbane, the weekend downpour brought recorded rainfall from December 1 to 115mm - only 18mm short of the monthly average of 133mm - six days into the month.

But it is in central Queensland where the big wet is having its biggest impact, closing roads, isolating towns, sparking evacuations, ruining crops and stranding long-haul truck drivers.

Roadtrains which have been taking refuge in Emerald could be stuck there for weeks as council engineers wait for the water to recede so they can inspect damage to roads and bridges.

The Big Wet continues

Its summer here but La Nina means we're getting a lot of rain...

THE Big Wet continues to bring traffic chaos to the southeast with flooding and landslips shutting more roads.

The Gold Coast Springbrook Road at Springbrook has been closed between Pine Creek Road and Austinville Road due to a landslip, while heavy downpours have forced vehicles off the road on the Gold Coast.

Police have warned of travel delays on the southeast's roads and advised motorists and heavy vehicles to avoid the M1 near Mudgeeraba due to the heavy rain. The area has been inundated with 135mm overnight.

The Bureau of Meteorology says Brisbane, Ipswich, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast may all be hit by a storm today.

Brisbane residents woke up to a wet Sunday with heavy falls reported around the city.

Bayside suburbs around Manly, where 66mm fell in 24 hours, are amongst the soggiest.