Qld weather: Bureau of Meteorology issues severe thunderstorm warning for South East Queensland
Queensland’s south east has been smashed with giant hail as severe storms hit from Gympie to the border with cars and houses damaged, power out and the SES called in. And there’s a warning of more today.
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South East Queensland has once again been smashed by severe storms bringing giant hail, damaging winds and heavy rain — and the pattern is expected to be repeated on Friday.
Multiple weather alerts – including for three ‘very dangerous storms’ at the same time – were issued across Thursday afternoon and evening.
Several storm cells formed from Gympie to the NSW border and everywhere in-between with many residents revealing giant hail and yards blanketed in ice.
Cooroy in the Sunshine Coast hinterland copped a sudden 98mm downpour, while 78mm fell at Maroochy Intake Weir, 76mm at Black Mountain, 75mm at Mapleton and 70mm at Cooloolabin Dam. South of Brisbane, Lower Springbrook had 43mm since 9am yesterday and Rathdowney received 40mm.
The storms carried more than 158,000 lightning strikes and thousands of homes and businesses lost power.
The bulk of those customers were in the Gympie region, but the Sunshine Coast, Somerset, Logan, Scenic Rim and Moreton Bay regions were also affected.
Mount Mee, Delaney’s Creek, Moreton Bay and Caboolture were pelted with giant hail – some as large as tennis balls.
Hundreds of homes from the Sunshine Coast north are still without power on Friday morning.
The SES received dozens of calls for help overnight.
Bureau meteorologist Sarah Scully said more severe thunderstorms were likely to develop on Friday.
“The main areas of concern are the South East coast and the Wide Bay Burnett regions into this evening,” Ms Scully said.
“We are expecting giant sized hail, heavy rainfall and damaging wind, all of these areas are at risk.”
Ms Scully said more storms were expected on Saturday, with the most severe impacting Wide Bay Burnett.
“Storms are possible tomorrow across all of south East Queensland,” she said
Originally published as Qld weather: Bureau of Meteorology issues severe thunderstorm warning for South East Queensland
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