Golf ball sized hail pelt the region as storm moves north
A severe thunderstorm was likely to rage over the next several hours, dropping golf-ball sized hailstones across the Mackay-Whitsunday region.
Mackay
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UPDATE 8.30PM: DAMAGING winds and large hailstones will batter the Central Coast and Whitsundays, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
A severe thunderstorm was likely to rage over the next several hours, affecting Mackay, Proserpine, Hamilton Island and Airlie Beach, BOM reported.
The storm has been rapidly moving up the coast this afternoon, pelting many communities with hailstones.
Golf ball sized hail, with 4cm diameter, smashed into homes in Sarina at 5.40pm, while tennis ball to baseball-sized hail, with 6-8cm diameters, fell at Rockhampton earlier this afternoon.
UPDATE 6.30PM: A SEVERE storm warning has been expanded to Mackay, as communities are pelted with hailstones.
The Bureau of Meteorology said a severe thunderstorms was moving towards Sarina and Mackay, bringing "large, possibly giant hailstones and damaging winds".
The storm is expected to rage for the next several hours in parts of the Central Coast and Whitsundays and Capricornia districts.
Mirani MP Stephen Andrew shared video of the hail pelting a Sarina backyard as a warning to fellow residents.
"Please garage your vehicles and cover up what could be susceptible to hail damage," he wrote on Facebook.
BOM said tennis ball to baseball-sized hail, with 6-8cm diameters, had been reported further south in Rockhampton.
INITIAL: A STORM dropping golf-ball sized hailstones is predicted to roll further north, threatening communities like Moranbah and St Lawrence.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning to residents in the Central Coast and Whitsundays, Central Highlands and Coalfields regions.
Meteorologist Alex Majchrowski said the storm was bringing damaging, locally destructive winds and large hailstones to Central Queensland.
While the storm is largely impacting areas around Rockhampton, Mr Majchrowski said it was moving in a north-easterly direction, with Moranbah and St Lawrence in the danger zone.
"We're already seeing sparks in Moranbah," he said.
"(And) new storms are developing."
Mr Majchrowski said a passing upper trough was causing the "instability".
He warned residents to prepare for the severe storm.
The storm has severely impacted communities further south, with residents in Frenchville, The Range, Kawana and Norman Gardens reporting hail, ranging from peas to golf balls in size, was pounding their homes.
Mackay was predicted to avoid the worst of the storm, with Monday featuring only a slight chance of a shower near the coast.
BOM has predicted a partially cloudy day on Monday, with temperatures ranging from 21 to 29 degrees in Mackay.
It will be mostly sunny featuring light winds from Tuesday until Thursday, BOM reported.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services storm preparation advise - Provided by BOM
- Move your car under cover or away from trees.
- Secure loose outdoor items.
- Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
- Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
- Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
- For emergency assistance phone the SES on 132 500.
👇👇"Hail of tennis ball to baseball size already observed south of Rockhampton"👇👇 Storm to impact Yeppoon area before 4pm #seekshelter https://t.co/jYzPLP6ZJz
— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) April 19, 2020
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