Road Closures & Track Conditions - 25th February 2022

Australia

Border Update -

For more information refer to: https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-international-travellers

La Nina -

The Bureau of Meteorology announced the beginning of a La Niña on the 24th November 2021, which most likely means a wet summer period for eastern and northern regions. 

La Niña is a recurring event in our weather cycle, not to be confused with the warmer El Niño, that operates over periods of one to eight years. It manifests when strong equatorial trade winds change ocean currents, drawing cool water up to the surface in parts of the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a pile up of warm surface water east of Australia. This leads to a boost in convection that has a pronounced effect on the global climate.

Every La Niña event is different, but according to the BOM this time Australia is likely to see:

• More rainfall in Eastern, Central, and Northern Australia
• Decreased daytime temperatures south of the tropics
• More tropical cyclones
• Increased chance of widespread flooding
• Longer, less intense heat waves in south east of Australia
• Earlier First Rains across Northern Australia
• Less risk of fires in areas that receive more rainfall

Northern Territory

Border Update -

For more information refer to: https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/travel/quarantine

Regional Update -

• The monsoon is developing north of the Top End and extending on to the north coast. A tropical low is developing over the Timor Sea and is likely to slowly strengthen during the next few days, there is high uncertainty in the forecast path of this low. A ridge across central Australia will be reinforced during today and Friday as a high moves across the Great Australian Bight. A trough will persist across the Tanami and Barkly Districts for the remainder of the week.
• ‘The Dry’ season has concluded, with La Niña conditions expected. The weather is looking wetter than average over the next couple of months. 
• Gibbie Creek 4WD Track - Road Closed - Between Fish Hole yard Wickham 4wd track and Gregory National park boundary. (Last updated: 24/02/22).
• Ex-Tropical Cyclone Tiffany has resulted in significant rainfall in the last few weeks. Some tracks in Northern NT are closed or impassable.
  
  

View the live interactive Road Conditions Map HERE

Western Australia

Border Update -

For more information refer to: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-the-premier-and-cabinet/covid-19-coronavirus-travel-wa

Regional Update -

• Kimberley:
  • A trough extends across the Kimberley towards the Pilbara coast.
  • Fire Risk:
    • North Kimberley Coast: Low-Moderate
    • West Kimberley Coast: Low-Moderate
    • Kimberley Inland: Low-Moderate
    • Hot temps (reaching low 40s) expected.
  • Road Alert: Flooding alert - Gibb River Rd from Meda to Great Northern Hwy intersection. Road closed. No Detour Available.  (Updated: 17/02/22).
• Pilbara:
  • A trough extends across the Kimberley towards the Pilbara coast.
  • Fire Risk:
    • East Pilbara Coast: High
    • West Pilbara Coast: Severe
    • East Pilbara Inland: High
    • Ashburton Inland: High
    • Exmouth Gulf Coast: Severe
  • Mostly sunny throughout the week, temps into mid to low 40s.
• South West WA:
  • A trough extending from the inland Gascoyne into the South West Land Division will move closer to the west coast today and deepen, before moving inland again on Friday and on Saturday. A large high pressure system will develop to the southwest of the Bight today and extend a ridge to the Eucla Coast before moving away to the southeast on Saturday.
  • Fire Risk:
    • Geographe: High
    • Leeuwin: High
    • Nelson: High
    • Mostly sunny throughout the rest of the week. Temps into the min 30s.
  • Quite extensive road works are being undertaken on the South Coast Highway over Jan and Feb.

View the live interactive Road Conditions Map HERE

South Australia

Border Update -

For more information refer to: https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/restrictions-and-responsibilities/travel-restrictions

La Niña -

More rainfall during spring and summer, wetter soils and an increased chance of flash floods. Reduced bushfire risk with reduced extreme heat waves. More rainfall expected in the north/central areas of South Australia.

Regional Update -

• A large high pressure system will develop to the southwest of the Bight today and move eastwards to be over the southern Tasman Sea on the weekend, with a ridge persisting to the south of the Bight. A low pressure trough will develop near the eastern border early next week in response to an upper level disturbance extending from the west over the south of the State.

• Rain Closures: Large amounts of outback SA roads are closed due to poor weather. Most have closed and others have restrictions  (updated: 24/02/22).

• Birdsville inside Track Closed - Lengthy closure still in place, Mungeranie to Marree (updated: 24/02/22).

• Road Works: Road Sealing - Strzelecki Track (472km). The SA government will seal the first 50-kilometres, Starting just north of Lyndhurst.

View the live interactive Road Conditions Map HERE

Victoria

Border Update -

For more information refer to: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorias-restriction-levels-covid-19

La Niña -

More rainfall during spring and summer, wetter soils and an increased chance of flash floods. Reduced bushfire risk with reduced extreme heat waves.

Regional Update - 

• An inland trough over western Victoria will continue to deepen overnight and move eastwards across Victoria on Thursday. A high pressure system will built south of the Bight as the trough comes to rest over waters just to the east of the State on Friday. The high is expected to drift south of Tasmania maintaining a southeast to easterly flow across Victoria for the weekend. Another trough is forecast to develop over western Victoria by Monday, deepening further early next week.

• Haunted Stream Track: Haunted Stream Track - Tambo Crossing is closed. DELWP are undertaking repairs. Reopening will be dependent on weather conditions.

• High Country: Seasonally Closed tracks have reopened, Check the list of tracks open/closed.

View the live interactive Road Conditions Map HERE

Tasmania

Border Update -

For more information refer to: https://coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travellers-and-visitors/coming-to-tasmania

La Niña -

More rainfall during spring and summer, wetter soils and an increased chance of flash floods. Reduced bushfire risk with reduced extreme heat waves.

Regional Update -

• A cold front will clip the south on Thursday morning and a trough will linger over the northeast. A ridge is expected to form to the south of Tasmania later on Thursday and remain to the south on Friday while the trough in the north clears to the northwest. The ridge to the south is expected to persist over the weekend directing generally easterly winds over the state.

View the live interactive Road Conditions Map HERE

New South Wales/ ACT

Border Update -

For more information refer to: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/what-you-can-and-cant-do-under-rules/border-restrictions

La Niña -

More rainfall during spring and summer, wetter soils and an increased chance of flash floods. Reduced bushfire risk with reduced extreme heat waves. More rainfall is expected in most of New South Wales.

Regional Update - 

• A high pressure system near New Zealand is directing a deep, moist easterly flow over New South Wales. A deepening trough lingers about far northeast over the next couple of days bringing the risk of heavy rainfall to the north coast. A weakening cold front will brush the far southeast of the state Friday and Saturday, enhancing rainfall about the South Coast. Another trough over the far western inland is expected to deepen and remain slow-moving over the coming days bringing unsettled conditions to inland parts.
• Adverse weather conditions through West and North West of NSW. Westwards from Wanaaring there are major road closures.
• HAZARD Road damage: Tibooburra to Toona Gate - Toona Gate Rd - Exercise caution - Traffic affected in both directions. (Updated: 24/02/22).
• FLOODING - Hamilton Gate Road - Wanaaring to Hamilton Gate (QLD) - Road Closed.

View the live interactive Road Conditions Map HERE

Queensland

Border Update -

For more information refer to: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/public-health-directions/border-restrictions

La Niña -

More tropical Cyclones than normal. Prepare earlier - Rain expected a month earlier, more than 70% chance of above-average rainfall and increased flood risk.

Regional Update -

• A high near New Zealand will maintain a humid onshore airflow across eastern Queensland. A coastal trough will linger near the southern Queensland coast eventually moving offshore over the weekend. The coastal trough and an approaching upper trough will enhance the risk of heavy and locally intense rainfall in southeastern parts of the state over the next few days. A second trough will remain slow-moving through the northwest to southern inland for the days, weakening later in the week. A deepening monsoon trough extends across the far northern Gulf and Peninsula extending offshore over the northern Coral Sea. The associated increasing monsoonal flow is likely to enhance shower and thunderstorm activity across the northern Peninsula later this week and over the weekend.
• Cape York: Peninsula Developmental Road - Road Works - at Archer River Road.
• Fraser Island:
  • Areas of concern -Most of the West coast is closed to beach driving.
  • Vehicles are prohibited on the beach between South Ngkala Rocks and Sandy Cape Lighthouse between 6pm to 6am, from 15 Nov 21 to 31 Mar 2022.
  • Look and listen for aircraft landing and taking off along the eastern beach. Follow direction from the ground control crew.
  • Fraser Island report - 17th Feb, 2022.
• Flooding Alerts QLD:  Massive Rain has resulted in flooding closures throughout the state.

View the live interactive Road Conditions Map HERE

For more state by state travel information head over to our Travel Information Hub.