Northern Australia has been experiencing severe flooding, with warnings extending to the southeastern parts of the Northern Territory and western Queensland. This flooding is a result of a broad trough that has been moving across northern Australia, bringing warm and moist air from the Gulf of Carpentaria. This has created conditions ideal for severe thunderstorms, including supercells. Over the weekend, more than 70mm of rain fell in an hour in a region that normally experiences arid conditions. Local stations have recorded more than 100mm within 24 hours, with 132mm of rain in Marion Downs, Queensland. The heavy rainfall poses a high risk of flash flooding, with the potential for communities and transportation links to be cut off. The trough is expected to move further east into Queensland through Monday and Tuesday, with some models predicting up to 200mm of rain within a 24-hour period. In China, there will be a major contrast in temperatures over the coming days, with drops of more than 20°C in less than 48 hours. Despite this, daily maximum air temperatures in southern and eastern China will continue to reach the low to mid-30s Celsius. However, temperatures could plummet to just above 0°C by Thursday in Lanzhou, northern Gansu province. While temperature fluctuations in the spring months are not unusual, the scale and speed of the change from hot to cold conditions are quite exceptional.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/24/weather-tracker-severe-thunderstorms-threaten-flooding-northern-australia