Weather to deteriorate over weekend with thunderstorms ahead

Southeast Queenslanders are being warned to brace themselves for more thunderstorms and heavy rain as the weather is to deteriorate over the weekend, putting a major dampener on AFL Grand Final celebrations.

A gloomy Friday is set for the southeast ahead of a weekend of thunderstorms, after parts of the southeast were smashed by storms on Thursday.

Across Brisbane, a top of 27C will be paired with cloudy skies today, as showers and a chance of thunderstorms would roll into the west, Bureau of Meteorology’s Peter Markworth said.

“Potentially showers forming today, but it’s unlikely to be thunderstorms around the coastline for today, all the thunderstorm activity looks to be well inland,” he said.

“The storms are well to the west, more like Toowoomba, Laidley, and Gatton, that’s essentially as far east as the storms should reach today, it’s unlikely.”

AFL Grand Final revellers should pack their wet weather gear, as a trough system is set to roll in just in time for kick-off.

⛈️ #QldStorm Forecast ⛈️
On Friday the chance of severe storms moves away from #SEQld, but severe storms will be likely in central & northern #Qld and possible for most of inland Qld. Damaging winds, large hail & heavy rain possible. Warnings & updates: https://t.co/fhq7iGMcfU pic.twitter.com/GedWGNjTlG

— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) October 22, 2020

“The weather is definitely deteriorating over the weekend, Saturday that trough starts to approach, you’re looking at the most likely chance being night-time and then overnight into Sunday morning,” Mr Markworth said.

“Saturday is going to not be too active until the very late afternoon into the evening because that trough is still going to be out to the west, but then Sunday is going to be quite an active day..”

He said on Sunday there was an 80 per cent chance of rainfall across Brisbane with 15 to 25 millimetres, but up to 40mm possible under a heavier cell.

“Thunderstorms are very possible reaching that coastline under the influence of that trough through Sunday and that persists into early next week as well,” Mr Markworth said.

The Bureau has predicted showers would most likely hit in the late morning on the Gold Coast today, with the chance of a thunderstorm in the hinterland in the afternoon, temperatures would reach a top of 26C.

But the Sunshine Coast would not be hit so hard, with a slight chance of showers before a possible thunderstorm in the hinterland region and 27C temperatures today.