WEATHER forecasters are predicting a cool Christmas this year with temperatures set to be lower than average.
But it won’t last long.
BOM senior meteorologist Steven Hadley said Logan had its fifth coolest December day on the first day of the month.
“Logan had one of the coolest Novembers in a very long time, with daytime temps averaging one degree lower than normal,” he said.
“On November 30, Logan went down to 22.6 degrees during the day and on December 1 we had a really cold day with a 21.6 reading, which is the 5th lowest temperature for Logan – the record is 19.2.
“That was caused by a trough system which brought unusually cold winds, cloudy skies and a bit of rainfall. It didn’t last long though, as the next week we went into a mini heatwave with temps of 36 degrees.”
Mr Hadley said despite a few thunderstorms and showers, the weather should be cool in the lead up to Christmas.
“In the lead up to Christmas, we are likely to see cooler than average temperatures with less than average rainfall,” he said.
“We have been lucky and fairly dry over the last month, especially in the Logan and Albert catchment areas which has helped us a lot, the ground has had a chance to dry out and there is not much moisture around.”
However, Mr Hadley said we may be in for some hotter and nastier weather during the January to March period.
“During the January to March period there is always a likelihood of higher weather events happening,” he said.
“We may see some higher-than-average rainfall and flooding, especially in the Southeast.
“Now is a good time to revisit your emergency plans and see where your risks lie, especially with flooding on the cards.”
According to recent RACQ research, only 46% of Queenslanders have an emergency plan in place for storm season. RACQ Group Executive Insurance officer Trent Sayers said it’s important for residents to act now.
“We’ve already seen glimpses of what’s in store for us this storm season, so it’s important for those households who haven’t yet given it much thought, to act now, and not wait until the storm has arrived, because that’s too late,” he said.
“Cleaning gutters and downpipes, carrying out home repairs and maintenance, and having an emergency kit and plan in place, well in advance, is crucial to making your property and family more resilient to severe weather events.”
Mr Hadley said when creating a plan, it’s also important to connect with community members. support services and services like the SES so you know where you can go in the case of flooding or weather event.
