<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Bureau of Meteorology has defended its </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/weather" rel="" target="" title="rainfall forecast"><span>rainfall forecast</span></a><span> for south-east </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="_blank" title="Queensand"><span>Queensand</span></a><span> after the predicted deluge turned out to be a light drizzle for many residents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While it was grey skies for parts of the south-east including </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/brisbane" rel="" target="_blank" title="Brisbane"><span>Brisbane</span></a><span> as a coastal trough hovered over the region on Friday and into the weekend, the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/videos/national/queensland-on-alert-for-heavy-rain-and-rapid-river-rises/cmlldslaf001e0hldy9tql710" rel="" target="_blank" title="initial forecast"><span>initial forecast</span></a><span> of a 300mm dumping was later reversed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I wouldn't rule out one or two locations getting 300mm in the next few days if they happen to get a couple of pulses of those storms of heavy rain moving over on Friday and then into the weekend," meteorologist Angus Hines said on Thursday.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>NATIONAL:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/heavy-rain-to-soak-multiple-states-northern-australia/730f950c-9898-4e2e-9f07-99bc1cf817ba" target="_blank"><strong><span>Half of Australia set for major soaking, millions warned</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>WATCH:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/sport/golf/pebble-beach-pro-am-2026-colin-morikawa-min-woo-lee-prize-money-results-18th-hole-shot-reaction-20260216-p5o2mz.html" target="_blank"><strong><span>Aussie's priceless reaction as $5 million win ripped away</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The triple-figure forecast was downgraded on Friday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Queensland capital was sprinkled with just 30mm over the three day-period, while Coolangatta recorded one of the highest falls, with 167.2mm over 48 hours until Saturday at 9am.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/bureau-of-meteorology-defends-weekend-forecast-south-east-queensland/e8c2033a-b63e-4664-bc11-2d920a388249" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A spokesperson for the Bureau of Meteorology said the coastal trough moved faster along the south-east coastline than models suggested.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Some models suggested the trough would linger around Brisbane for much of Friday and into the weekend, however, the trough moved quicker northward towards the Wide Bay Burnett on Friday, sparing Brisbane the worst of the rainfall," the spokesperson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Forecasts and warnings were updated as the risk to parts of south-east Queensland including Brisbane eased."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The BoM's forecast predicted totals of 30 to 40 mm across Brisbane on Friday and the possibility of locally intense rainfall totals of between 100 and 200mm.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LATEST:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/gus-lamont-update-police-return-to-oak-park-station-in-search-for-missing-boy/7d48bf8c-b1ca-4050-ab06-1cf99fc3abd1" target="_blank"><strong><span>Police launch renewed search for missing boy Gus Lamont</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>South-east Queensland councils, SEQ Water, the state disaster centre and other local stakeholders were briefed over the possibility of intense rainfall leading to flash flooding.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Several councils prepared sandbags in anticipation of flooding, but they were not needed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Other independent weather outlets followed the BoM's advice and reported forecast modelling showing the threat of intense rainfall which could reach over 300mm.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The owner of popular Facebook page Brisbane Weather apologised to its followers yesterday for getting it wrong.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I got caught up in the moment, worrying about the potential impact on people – thinking, if 500mm hit, that would be devastating," the page said in a post.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In hindsight, I should have stuck with my usual cross-referencing method, and I would have likely nailed the forecast.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is what it is – we all learn from these mistakes."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Higgins Storm Chasing also warned the south-east coast, including Brisbane, was in for an "absolute flogging" on Thursday, but later updated its post to say the forecast was no longer valid.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>BONDI MASSACRE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/naveed-akram-court-updates-bondi-shooter-utters-first-words-in-first-court-showing/11d980a2-4e80-4fb0-9783-e9346478bd1f" target="_blank"><strong><span>Accused terrorist's first words as he appears in court</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While the worst of the rain was avoided, parts of the south-east did cop heavy falls.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The coastal trough moved around the Gold Coast from Thursday into Friday, before moving northward and lingering around the Wide Bay Burnett region on Friday afternoon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Gold Coast region saw 125mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on Friday, while Burleigh Waters Alert recorded one of the highest daily rainfall totals at 126mm.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>