Supercell thunderstorms possible but "impossible to predict"

THE nation's official forecaster says it would be reluctant to predict the so-called supercell thunderstorms that have been the subject of much speculation.

THE nation's official forecaster says it would be reluctant to predict the so-called supercell thunderstorms that have been the subject of much speculation this week.

Higgins Storm Chasers, among others, are predicting that a rare combination of conditions will come together on Friday to possibly create supercell storms - capable of producing significant rainfall over a short period of time.

The last time Queenslanders would have heard mention of supercell storms would have been during the 2011 disaster, in which a phenomenal amount of rain in Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley produced deadly flooding.

It may not be time to panic just yet. The official forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology, in Ipswich at least, is for showers with a chance of severe thunderstorms today, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Bureau spokesman Jess Carey said the best chance of heavy rain was Friday, but there still was no certainty over the severity of any rainfall.

"We would very rarely forecast a supercell," Mr Carey said.

"We would not rule out a supercell, but it is very difficult to predict a severe thunderstorm, and even more difficult to predict a supercell.

"There are specific conditions required for it to happen and they can be born very quickly."

All indications at this point would suggest that the Ipswich region is in for at least some relief from the enduring summer dry.

Mitchell, west of Roma, received more than 140mm in a storm overnight, and Mr Carey said the same air mass was headed towards south-east-Queensland.