Queensland weather: Severe thunderstorm warning issued for December 30

The Bureau of Meteorology has revealed which parts of the Sunshine Coast are likely to be hit by bad storms first as dangerous systems develop across much of the southeast for the final weekend of the year - delaying local trains by up to an hour.

A severe storm warning has been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology. Picture: Supplied

The Gympie and Sunshine Coast region is at risk of flash flooding amid a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Queensland with threats of intense rain, gale-force winds and giant hail - delaying local trains by up to an hour.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned on Saturday, December 30, that a massive storm had already developed on the Sunshine Coast.

“We are expecting quite an active thunderstorm day … it comes off the back of a very hot day yesterday,” BOM Senior Meteorologist Jonathan How said.

“We’re already seeing storms developing this morning. One already on the coast with predictions for more to form throughout the day.

“Heavy rainfall which may cause flash flooding, large to giant hail, and very damaging winds has been predicted.”

On Saturday, BOM also issued a flood watch for SEQ which included the Sunshine Coast and Gympie.

“It’s the last weekend of the year so we have many people out and about this is just a reminder to take care,” Mr How said.

“It’s a heads up that if we get heavy rainfall we will see fast river rises and flash flooding.

“We’ve already got storms on the Gold Coast and Darling Downs with one about to hit Caboolture. Just south of Caloundra would be hit first.”

TransLink Queensland confirmed Sunshine Coast line trains were delayed up to 60 minutes due to multiple signalling issues caused by the storm activity.

Earlier on Friday it was predicted that severe storms were likely to hit parts of the Sunshine Coast, Gympie, Brisbane and the Gold Coast on Saturday, and could possibly hit other areas such as Central Queensland and the Darling Downs and Granite Belt.

The bureau warned this could bring damaging winds stronger than 90km/h, giant hailstones and intense rain.

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Meteorologist Brooke Pagel said southeast Queensland was the “bullseye” of the severe storms, which were likely to impact the Gold Coast and Brisbane in the late morning to early afternoon on Saturday.

Another round of storms were likely to form inland that evening and are forecast to move east towards the Queensland coast, which would affect the Sunshine Coast, Gympie and the Capricornia and Central Queensland coasts.

Ms Pagel said the Gympie region was at risk of flooding with predictions of heavy rainfall bringing 90ml of rain in just three hours.

“(It is) something to keep an eye on (on Saturday),” she said.

She said it was important to keep up to date with weather warnings and updates, which the bureau will provide throughout the weekend.