Queensland gets ready for sever weather

It has been announced that a dangerous combination of severe storms, hail and snow will hit south-east Australia this week. 

Meteorologists forecast a “beast from the south” which may present a danger to those who are not ready. They predict that La Nina weather pattern is very likely to take hold as we head into a wet summer. This means we will probably be seeing above-average rainfall in northern and eastern Australia in the coming months. 

The Bureau of Meteorology said: "La Niña events increase the chances of above-average rainfall for northern and eastern Australia during spring and summer."

NSW and the Capital Territory are expected to be impacted with heavy storms starting today and carrying out all through tomorrow.

However, there is a pretty good chance that Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast will remain mostly sunny with the chance of heavy showers. 

Regardless of Queensland chances at good weather Get Ready Queensland Week is still taking place with a whole range of government provided guides and incentives for people to prepare for storm season. 

All the information you need to get ready for storm season is at https://www.getready.qld.gov.au/. However, to sum things up for you there are 3 steps to getting prepared.

Step 1 - Knowing your risk. This means knowing which natural disasters affect your location. The main natural disasters that strike Queensland are floods, storms (thunder and hail), cyclones, storm surge, and bushfires.

Step 2 - Preparing a household emergency plan. Each household is different and having a thought out evacuation plan, or keeping certain supplies at home, or even arranging furniture and other appliances to keep yourself safe in case of an emergency. 

When it comes to your evacuation plan it is recommended to include your neighbours, as either you or them might need some assistance. 

Step 3 - Pack an emergency kit. Natural disasters are likely to cause disruptions to services such as water, gas, transport and access to critical supplies. An emergency kit should have essential items that will aid you for at least 3 days in case of isolation. This kit should be packed safely and within easy access for everyone living in the house (except young children). 

Some of the essential items that should be in the kit include:

A first aid kit

Essential toiletries

Water for up to three days

Canned food or nonperishable food

Phone and portable charger

Face mask

Battery radio

Sturdy gloves

Flashlight

Hand sanitizer

Spare batteries

Another useful tip is to make sure you have all your important documents (IDs, passports, license, medicare, etc) scanned and stored either in a USB, a waterproof folder, or on the cloud to ensure their safekeeping. 

It goes without saying but it is of key importance to check and make sure that your insurance is up to date and that it covers those things which might be lost during a natural disaster.