Tuesday night was a dramatic scene in Mount Isa as thick cumulus cloud built to a stormy sky, thrilling local photographers with countless lightning bolts to capture.
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Nearby stations welcomed the much-needed showers amid a very dry season.
Mount Isa Mines’ rain gauge recorded a fairly decent 6.8mm, and south of Mount Isa did well too, Browns Creek recording 5.8mm.
To the north, May Downs Station recorded just 2mm, Lake Julius 2.8mm, while Gunpowder and Kamilaroi both had 5mm.
West of Mount Isa, Cloncurry recorded a piddly 0.8mm, but Canobie Station had 16mm to report.
In the Gulf, Burketown had 6.2mm, Normanton 4mm, but Mornington Island won with a huge 33mm!
According to the weather bureau, a moist and unstable air mass will persist near the Gulf of Carpentaria coast during the next few days, resulting in a high to very high chance of showers and storms.
A weak trough near the Northern Territory border will result in the chance of isolated storms in the far west of the state over the next few days.
Storms should extend a little further into the central west early next week as a surface trough becomes slow moving over far western Queensland.
SEVEN DAY FORECAST
Get ready for hot days and balmy nights, as temperatures reach 41 next week, with an overnight average of 24. A few chances for thunderstorms may deliver dramatic skies, but don’t hold your breath for rain.
Thursday, January 18 – Today looks partly cloudy, with a 40 per cent chance of rain, and a chance of another thunderstorm this afternoon. Temperatures reach a high of 37.
Friday, January 19 – Medium (40 per cent) chance of showers and the chance of a thunderstorm, most likely in the late morning and afternoon. The overnight low is 25 and the high is 37.
Saturday, January 20 – No rain predicted, partly cloudy with light winds and a high of 38. Overnight low is 24.
Sunday, January 21 – On Sunday you can enjoy a mostly sunny morning with the slight (30 per cent) chance of a shower in the afternoon, and the chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. The high reaches 39 and the overnight low is 24.
Monday, January 22 – Hot. Temperatures hit 41 degrees on Monday, which should continue into mid-week. Partly cloudy with a very slight (20 per cent) chance of a shower, and the chance of a thunderstorm later in the day. Overnight low is 23.
Tuesday, January 23 – Hot, with a high of 41. Partly cloudy with a very slight (20 per cent) chance of a shower, and the chance of a thunderstorm later in the day. Overnight low is 24.
Wednesday, January 24. Hot an mostly sunny, with a high of 41.