Southwest Qld to escape the brunt of severe storms

Large parts of Queensland’s eastern region is facing the chance of damaging thunderstorms, that could include large hail. Here’s what’s in store for the wider region.

 

Residents in Queensland’s southwest and southeastern regions could be in for a wet Tuesday afternoon with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting widespread showers and the chance of possibly severe thunderstorms.

An updated forecast posted to social media by Higgins Storm Chasing is now depicting isolated storms rapidly developing across the Scenic Rim and Darling Downs particularly near Millmerran, and are soon expected to become severe.

For the wider Southern Downs region, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Patch Clapp said while the severity of the storms is more likely to affect the eastern region into the Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim areas, residents should still be on the lookout for storms.

“It’s mostly looking like your garden variety of storms for the Southern Downs with the severity farther east,” he said.

“However, residents in the Southern Downs should keep half an ear and eye out for storms.”

The BoM has forecast that severe thunderstorms could be seen across parts of the South East as well as the Wide Bay Burnett and Darling Downs.

Areas that could see thunderstorms include Gympie, stretching down into Oakey and Toowoomba, and across much of the southeast.

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting the chance of heavy showers across the Southern and Darling Downs, and high winds with possibly large hail across parts of the South East. Photo: BOM MetEye

Mr Clapp said thunderstorms predicted across the South East are expected to bring damaging winds at speeds greater than 90km and the possibility of large hail.

Parts of South East Queensland have already bore the brunt of golf size hail after a severe thunderstorm ravaged Gympie and the Sunshine Coast on Monday, with large hail and heavy rainfall of up to 44mm recorded.

According to the forecaster from Wednesday the watch points for storm activity will extend into the northern areas of Miles and Chinchilla, and is expected to skirt the Southern Downs region over both days.

It’s understood storm and shower activity could continue into the week with an easing trend predicted from Thursday and into the weekend.

Temperatures will remain quite warm across the southwest throughout today with a maximum of 27 in Dalby, 29 in Goondiwindi, 19 in Stanthorpe, 21 in Toowoomba and 23 in Warwick.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as Southwest Qld to escape the brunt of severe storms