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October 20, 2026

Northern Rivers on Flood Watch

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One river, many voices

It's the final week of Richmond RiverFest, with events from Ballina to Lismore, and the upper catchment to the coast.

Brunswick River May, 2018. Photo Charles Boyle.

An official ‘Flood Watch’ continues for the Northern Rivers and other parts of NSW after the bureau of meteorology (BoM) first issued the alert Sunday.

Flood Watches are early official advice notices of possible flooding within specified catchments.

Sunday’s NSW Flood Watch – Flood Watch 1 – was issued around lunch time for catchments on the Northern Rivers, Northern Tablelands and Northwest Slopes and Plains.

The BoM said minor to moderate flooding was possible from Tuesday.

Heavy rain and minor flooding expected

A slow-moving trough was forecast to settle in a very moist tropical airmass over southeast Queensland and northeast NSW into early next week, the watch advice said.

Enhanced widespread heavy shower and thunderstorm activity was expected from Sunday through to Tuesday.

Northern Rivers catchments are wet following recent rainfall and storms, BoM said, and the expected heavy rain could lead to minor to moderate flooding from Tuesday.

The bureau was expecting minor flooding (as opposed to moderate or major) in the Tweed, Rous, Wilsons and Richmond River catchments, as well as in the Brunswick River and Marshalls Creek catchment in the Byron Shire.

Elsewhere, minor flooding was expected in the Upper Macintyre River catchment and moderate flooding in the Gwydir River catchment.

The next Flood Watch was due by 02:00 pm Monday, the BoM said.



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