THE mega-storm that wreaked havoc across South Australia on Wednesday missed Wagga but emergency services “remain vigilant” as more rain looms.
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Senior Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecaster Rebecca Kamitakahara said Wagga was not out of the woods.
“We will see another burst of rainfall and possibly thunderstorms from 12am Friday morning with increasing frequency and intensity,” Ms Kamitakahara said.
“On Friday, the Riverina should expect 5mm to 20mm of widespread rainfall, with falls of 20mm to 40mm around the southern ranges and isolated falls of 60mm.
“Showers will persist for most of Friday, it will be another wet day.
“Showers will ease on Saturday morning.
“The next system begins moving through on Sunday, so there’s roughly a 24 to 36 hour break from Saturday afternoon to late on Sunday and/or early Monday.”
Wagga avoided the storm powerful enough to plunge the entire state of South Australia into blackout, but the same low pressure system is responsible for Friday’s rain.
“The low pressure system centred over South Australia is going to move south east across Victoria,” Ms Kamitakahara said.
“But there is a lot of humid air around that low pressure system that is giving us the burst of rainfall in the early hours of Friday.”
The State Emergency Service (SES) has set up incident management team hubs to support local units in Temora and Griffith.
Hydrologists predict the Murrumbidgee River will peak on Sunday in Hay at 8.1 metres and Darlington Point at 6.5m, but at that height levee banks are tipped to hold.
The SES has warned long weekend festival-goers to be wary of flood waters when travelling to Deniliquin Ute Muster, Parkes Country Music Festival, Narrandera’s Rockin’ on East Festival and Taste Riverina events.
”We encourage the community to get behind flood affected regional communities, but to do so with a high degree of caution,” NSW SES deputy comissioner Mark Morrow said.
The SES will stage a community meeting for the residents of North Wagga at the public hall on Hampton Avenue at 6.30pm on Friday.
North Wagga residents are advised as of Thursday afternoon, the SES did not intend to issue evacuation orders at the meeting, but “staff are monitoring the situation”.