RED ZONE: ‘Vicious storms could hit Gympie without warning’

Gympie firmly in the red zone for severe storm threat that could smash the region with hail, damaging winds and heavy rain with little warning.

Gympie is central to a large area where severe storms are likely to hit today and tomorrow. This image shows the threat on Wednesday morning. Photo: Captured courtesy of BOM

GYMPIE is in the firing line today for severe thunder storms that could smash the region with damaging winds, large to giant hail and heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, most of South East and Central Queensland are in the severe thunder storm threat zone, but which area is going to cop the brunt of it is hard to predict.

“It is hard to pinpoint where they are going to develop,” metrologist Rosa Hoff said.

Gympie is firmly in the red zone of where severe thunder storms are likely today with a significant area to the west in the zone also adding to the region’s risk, Ms Hoff said.

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The weather bureau says damaging winds and large hail could batter the Coast today, as southeast Queensland braces for severe thunderstorms. Photo: Supplied

“(Severe storms) could move from the west towards the east – they could develop in Kingaroy or Gayndah and move towards Gympie.

“These storms could be quite mobile.

“They do pop up very quickly and can change how they are moving – they are very dynamic.”

Ms Hoff compared the brewing weather today to a pot of boiling water – you know there are going to be bubbles you just don’t know where they will pop up and how big they will be, she said.

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Follow all weather warnings for Gympie on the BoM site HERE

The biggest chance of the severe storms is this afternoon, she said, but anytime from late morning into this evening is on the cards.

She said residents should be checking the forecast at least every half-hour today.

The threat continues tomorrow as well.

She said alongside damaging to destructive wind gusts in excess of 100km/h and heavy rain, the storm could produce large to giant hail with a diameter of 2cm to more than 5cm (or the size of a $2 coin up to bigger than a golf ball).

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