General News
30 October, 2026
Rainfall arrives amid rescues and flooding
Rainfalls across the regions
There might have been relief from the skies last weekend from reports of up to 100mm falling in the week prior but overnight to our deadline on October 26, rescues and flooding dominated rainfall realities.
Reports of two rescues in the early hours of October 26, from flooded cars in Victoria Street, Warwick and another in Rosenthal Heights, were in the headlines.
Warwick Central State School issued urgent advice on October 26, that the school would remain open but with "disruptions" due to flooding impacting the school setting.
Flash flooding, large hail and wind gusts of up to 90kms an hour were evident in south-east Queensland overnight to the working week's commencement.
Further advice that "heavy surface water and flash flooding continue to threaten local roads" within the reminder of, "If it's flooded, forget it" was reinforced.
Among necessary warnings for caution, there was welcome relief expressed from Southern Downers and Tenterfield locals for recent rainfalls to October 25 that had some pockets recording over 100mm in about ten days.
A winegrower in Severnlea, just south of Stanthorpe, said rainfall has given growers hope.
"It's so lovely to see all the green," she told the Town & Country Journal last Sunday, October 25, adding, "Since these recent rains commenced on October 13, we've had 124.5mm of rain up to 6am this morning, with more today.
"Prior to receiving this rain, I had recorded 167.7mm of rain for the period January to end of August 2026, with no rain during September. In 2019 - in the height of the big drought - we had a total of 214.2mm for the entire year from 1 January to 31 December."
The hopeful grower acknowledged that prior to this recent October rain, the region was shaping up for less rainfall in 2026 than was seen in 2019.
"I've noticed properties around the district where land has been prepared for planting of vegies in the past week," she continued. "It's given hope to many to have received this rain."
A Warwick resident told us that they had enjoyed 120mm on their property near Leslie Dam in the same period, recognising that these falls are consistent with the the western part of the region.
"Leslie Dam is rising, pleasingly," he said, "(And) our dams received good inflow which was needed as some were drying up quickly.
"If we can get follow up during the storm season between now and December, summer is looking better than we were expecting."
The official count for the Tenterfield Creek Dam was one percent healthier last week, certainly higher now seeing it continued to fall after the tally was taken.
Kim Thompson of Tenterfield told us last Sunday that her "so full rain gauge" tipped out about 107mm within recent falls, while overnight to October 26, they welcomed a further 25mm.
Before going to print last Monday, the Severnlea winegrower noted 37mm overnight.
