Brisbane weather: Cold, wet conditions to persist into weekend

Flash flooding is possible this afternoon as severe thunderstorms with the potential to dump 100mm of rain in just hours developing across southern Queensland.

South East Queensland is in the firing line of severe storms this afternoon with dangerous cells detected in parts of the Darling Downs and southwest.

“We’ve already seen a fair bit of activity far out around the western border around the area to the north west of Roma; those were the earliest,” The Bureau of Meteorology’s Daniel Hayes said.

“Developing a little bit closer towards the southeast, areas in the North of Toowoomba, sort of around the Crow’s Nest area.”

Just before 2pm Mr Hayes said there was storm activity “just to the west” of Brisbane and confirmed there could be severe storms on the way.

“We were expecting to see quite a lot of shower and thunderstorm activity across large parts of southern Queensland and extending into Central Queensland over the next couple of days,” he said.

“No warnings out currently for thunderstorms but there is the potential that some of the thunderstorms could be severe.”

Mr Hayes said parts of the state are expected to receive between 50-100mm of rain on Tuesday afternoon and into the evening, creating a threat from flash flooding.

Storm cells are barrelling across South East Queensland this afternoon. Picture: BOM

“Particularly if we see thunderstorms coming through in the same area as yesterday and the thunderstorm activity is expected to be around for a few more days at least,” he said.

“We have the trough who’s going to linger over southern Queensland, we have a couple of upper level systems that are coming through the southern states which will reinforce the surface trough and help to just continue bringing in that moist northeast layer.”

He said later in the week a ridge of high pressure that’s along the east coast will potentially strengthen as a new high pressure system moves through to the Tasman.

“That may cause the trough to shift a little bit further west, away from the south east towards the interior parts of the state,” he added.

“But until probably Wednesday or Thursday, we’re still expecting to see quite a bit of thunderstorm activity across the southeast and other parts of the southern parts of Queensland, certainly into the Downs.”

Mr Hayes added the storm activity would likely move the Maranoa-Warrego, Channel Country and potentially up into the central west and the northwest of the state later in the weekend.

“Certainly down around the southeast at least another couple of days potentially for similar sort of activity to what we saw on Monday.”

It comes after the majority of the state since Monday has shivered through well below average temperatures, with parts of the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley copping a drenching.

Gatton copped 82.6mm, Artunga (near Goondiwindi) 81mm, Amberley 74.6mm and Applethorpe 55mm.

Weather bureau metrologist Patch Clapp said the trough over Queensland’s southern interior was expected to cause wintry conditions every day this week and over the coming weekend.

“Rain has been extremely heavy over much of the state, especially in the western and Darling Downs parts of Queensland with most of that area experiencing anywhere between 50mm to 80mm of rain,” Mr Clapp said.

“Further west, storms are developing at the moment, and it’s only a matter of time before we issue some severe thunderstorm warnings.

“What's causing these conditions is a slow moving trough and extensive cloud cover. It is lingering over parts of the southern interior and made up of a wet, moist and unstable air mass, it is not going anywhere anytime soon.”

More than 30mm has fallen in Brisbane over the past 24 hours, with 41.4mm at Archerfield in the city’s south. Patchy rain is expected for the rest of the week.

Mr Clapp said temperatures recorded are 5C to 9C below average for this time of year.

“Large hail and damaging winds are definitely on the cards but the primary concern is the rain with every day this week right around the state expected to feel at least a little sprinkle,” he said.

“The extensive cloud cover throughout most of the state will drive these temps down and create this persistent rainfall.”

Southern parts of the state barely made it passed 20C on Monday with Rollingstone and Gatton both 9C below average for this time of year and Warwick recording a maximum of just 18C.

Brisbane was forecast to reach a maximum of 26C on Tuesday, with a high chance of rain expected throughout the day.

The Gold Coast was tipped to reach 25C, with storms expected to make landfall around midday.