It's a sunny Sunday across Queensland's Wide Bay-Burnett as the region cleans up after a deluge that experts say can't be blamed solely on the La Niña factor.
The trough and low-pressure system are now lying off the Sunshine Coast after dumping hundreds of millimetres of rain along the coastal fringe.
Pat MacDonnell lives one street back from the waterfront at Tin Can Bay and received a mammoth total just shy of 500 millimetres since Thursday night.
"It's 498 millimetres as of Sunday morning … 2 millimetres short of 20 inches," Mr MacDonnell said.
"In the daylight hours of Friday, we would have had at least 400mm.
"But the sun is out now, it's a bit breezy, and the washing's on the line – so how's that?"
Woman, 85, rescued
An 85-year-old woman was rescued from floodwaters on Friday afternoon, after her vehicle was swept off a flooded causeway at Bauple south of Tiaro.
Police waded through floodwaters before rescuing the woman through the back door of her car, which was stuck up against the tree.
She was not injured.
Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said the SES had responded to a number of calls for help.
"There were some incidents on the road due to flash flooding and the dangerous conditions.
"That [the Bauple incident] could have been a fatality," Cr Seymour said.
"Overwhelmingly the major incidents happened when people are driving; don't drive if you absolutely don't need to during weather like this."
A sign of what is to come
The Bureau of Meteorology said there were several factors behind the above-average falls.
"We have the La Nina which helps to provide more moisture to weather systems, we have the negative IOD (Indian Ocean Dipole) likewise providing more moisture, the Madden-Julian Oscillation is in our region at the moment," said meteorologist Pieter Claassen.
"We have a positive SAM or Southern Annular Mode which also increases onshore flow and moisture.
"So you really have these four major climate drivers all acting together at the moment," he said.
Cr Seymour said he was worried for what the rest of the wet season had in store.
"It's very, very concerning to have this type of a low forming in October," he said.
"This year in 2022 we've had four floods now this one so it's very concerning for the coming months when we go into the traditional wet season."
Further north
The Mary River at Tiaro was expected to stay below the moderate flood level, with a minor warning issued for Dagun Pocket, Gympie, and Miva for late Sunday. This means the flood level at Maryborough is expected to remain below minor.
Earlier in the weekend, emergency alerts were issued for Gympie, Fraser Coast and the North Burnett.
While some roads were cut in the inland Burnett and on the Fraser Coast fortunately no evacuations were required.
The Local Disaster Management Group in the North Burnett stood down Sunday morning and acting chair Councillor Dael Giddins said the Burnett catchment was saturated.
"We are very mindful of the fact it's not just about people and structures but it's about our farmers," Cr Giddins said.
"If there is anyone who has been impacted, we ask they access the disaster impact survey which is available online at council's website."
Meanwhile, flash flooding inundated an op shop in central Bundaberg.
Peter Symes, founder of Jeremiah House, which runs the op shop, said it was flooded before the sun rose on Saturday morning.
"It rained lots, the road was closed, our fence was down, it was like a big river," he said.
"We lost couches and outside stuff and we are now cleaning up, we are hosing, throwing stuff out," Mr Symes said.
"If anyone can help us, bring a truck and we will throw a pile of stuff away."
A look at Wide Bay's dams
It's fortunate the already saturated inland catchments missed the heavier rain but Paradise Dam, on the Burnett River upstream from Bundaberg, began spilling about 10am Sunday.
Sunwater said Fred Haigh, Boondooma and Bjelke Petersen dams had all been at capacity and spilling excess water for several weeks.
Wuruma Dam in the Upper Burnett is at 84.4 per cent capacity.
