Over 1 week after landfall, Esther still raising flood concerns across Australia

Over 1 week after landfall, Esther still raising flood concerns across AustraliaMoisture from Esther has survived over a week after the former tropical cyclone made landfall in northern Australia. Now, meteorologists say its heavy rainfall will make it all the way to the capital city of Canberra.Esther made landfall as a Category 1 tropical cyclone, or the equivalent of a tropical storm in the Atlantic or East Pacific basins on Feb. 24 near the border between Queensland and the Northern Territory.While Esther quickly lost wind intensity while tracking westward over land, the core of its heavy rainfall largely remained intact, leading to a slew of issued flood warnings and alerts across the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia. A satellite view of former Tropical Cyclone Esther swirling over Australia on Monday night, local time. (CIRA/RAMMB) The storm has since made a turn to the southeast into central portions of the country."Former Tropical Cyclone Esther will continue to track toward the southeast over the next few days with heavy rain along its path," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls said.> Former TC Esther approaching NorthernTerritory. Moisture from system will lead to rain in NewSouthWales starting Tuesday with rain, some heavy, & areas of flooding likely from Victoria to S Queensland Wednesday into Friday. pic.twitter.com/MY0U08wMk2> > -- Jason Nicholls (@jnmet) March 2, 2020Downpours will spread across the southern Northern Territory into eastern South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and southern Queensland as the week progresses."Heavy rain and flooding are likely along the path of Esther with general rainfall of 2-4 inches (50-100 mm) likely with an AccuWeather Local StormMax(TM) of 6 inches (150 mm)," Nicholls said.CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APPRoad closures and washouts will be possible in the corridor of heaviest rainfall. Motorists should avoid driving through floodwaters and instead find a safer, alternate route.Alice Springs may be hit with flooding downpours from Tuesday into Wednesday before the heavy rainfall spreads southeastward to the capital city of Canberra Wednesday into Thursday. The risk of flooding in Sydney is likely to be more localized, but travel disruptions are likely in the metro area during the middle and latter part of the week.Sydney was hit with an excess of rain in February with nearly 381 mm (15 inches) of rain pouring down. During an average February, 95 mm (3.73 inches) falls on the city.The bulk of the heavy rainfall will sweep off the southeastern Australia coast by Friday.There are no immediate tropical threats behind Esther, but AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring the potential for tropical development heading into the middle of the month."We're monitoring an area over the Gulf of Carpentaria or Coral Sea next week, with the risk of heavier rain and flooding from the Top End to the Cape York Peninsula," Nicholls said.AccuWeather will continue to provide updates on any potential tropical threats to Australia as they arise.Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.