Severe Weather Warning for Heavy Rainfall and Flash Flooding in Western Queensland
This alert is no longer in effect.
BOM issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this BoM weather warning directly from BOM's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a high-priority warning for intense rainfall and life-threatening flash flooding across the North West and Channel Country districts.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Severe Weather Warning
- Affected area
- Western Queensland
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- BOM
The warning type, named area, and issue time define this record. Confirm all three against the original agency notice before treating it as current.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Western Queensland.
Alert Details
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a severe weather warning (IDQ21037) for heavy, locally intense rainfall. This is a top-priority alert for immediate broadcast due to the potential for dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the North West and parts of the Gulf Country and Channel Country Forecast Districts in Queensland. Specific locations that may be affected include:
- Mount Isa
- Cloncurry
- Camooweal
- Boulia
- Urandangi
- Dajarra
What You Should Do
Emergency services advise residents in the warning area to take the following actions:
- Stay Indoors: Go inside a strong building now and stay inside until the storm has passed.
- Travel Safety: Do not drive now unless you have to because conditions are dangerous.
- Property Protection: Park your car undercover and away from trees; close all doors and windows.
- Health and Safety: Keep asthma medications close by, as storms and wind can trigger attacks. Charge mobile phones and power banks in case of power outages.
- Family and Pets: Ensure children are with a trusted adult. Put pets in a safe place and ensure they have identification.
- Communication: Notify friends, family, and neighbors in the area.
Expected Conditions
A tropical low situated near the border of the North West, Channel Country, and Northern Territory is expected to move slowly southward and strengthen. Rich tropical moisture is feeding into this system, creating a risk of heavy to locally intense rainfall, particularly on the eastern side of the system.
Rainfall Estimates:
- Six-hourly totals: 55 to 80 mm likely, with localized falls up to 130 mm possible.
- 24-hourly totals: 100 to 150 mm likely, with localized falls up to 220 mm possible.
These conditions also present a significant risk to cattle and other livestock. Separate flood watches and warnings are currently in effect for the region.
Timeline
The warning was issued at 4:14 pm AEST on Friday, 20 February 2026. Heavy rainfall is expected to develop over western Queensland starting tonight, with the greatest chance of intense rainfall occurring during overnight hours. The next update is scheduled to be issued by 11:00 pm AEST Friday.
Original source: BOM Official Notice ↗
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