There are emergency flash flooding warnings in place and heaps of road closures across northern and central Queensland as it continues to be inundated with heavy rain. Rain records have been smashed across the state, with Mackay on the state’s central coast receiving 1,000mm over the last 7 days. For context, Melbourne’s average annual rainfall is 650mm… And a man died yesterday after his vehicle became trapped in floodwaters near Nebo. Adding another layer of complexity, the Bureau of Meteorology warns the low-pressure system that’s hovering over the region could develop into a tropical cyclone today… It’s a far cry from sweltering conditions in parts of the country’s south and west this week. After 3 years of so much rain in eastern Australia, ‘unprecedented’ heatwaves are set to be a feature of 2023 around the world, with scientists forecasting the return of La Niña’s dry/hot brother El Niño. Ay, caramba…