‘Feels like 1C’: Queensland towns hit with cold blast, 82km/h gusts, sleet

Multiple Queensland communities have copped brutal winds causing cold snaps that feel like less than 5C - with BOM warning it’s only the start of a wild week for weather.

Sleet has fallen in some parts of Queensland as residents shiver their way through an extremely windy and “freezing” spring day.

Wild wind gusts have reached up to 82km/h at Wellcamp Airport, 78km/h at Oakey, 74km/h at Brisbane Airport, 72km/h at Dalby and Cape Moreton and 70km/h at Mt Isa throughout the day.

The temperature at Applethorpe dropped below 10C after midday according to the Bureau of Meteorology which reported it felt like 1.4C about 1.50pm.

Marty Brown from Symphony Hill Wines at Ballandean confirmed a mixture of rain and snow had fallen on the Granite Belt throughout Tuesday.

“It’s tiny little stuff that melts off pretty quickly but yes, we’ve had sleet,” Ms Brown said.

“It’s freezing.

“The temperature is sitting at 8C but it’s windy and it’s chilly.”

Travis Loof, also based south of Stanthorpe, said conditions had been completely different to those of the past few days.

Winds only got worse throughout the day with gusts of more than 70km/h recorded, according to the local.

“Around lunch time, the clouds moved in and sleet and pea sized hail were falling around the district. There were also confirmed snow flurries around Eukey and Mt Tully area,” he said.

“Probably not typical for this time of year, but anything is possible in Stanthorpe with the weather.”

Toowoomba was similarly cold after lunch with the temperature dropping to 13C with an apparent temperature of 1.3C.

Wild winds hit central Brisbane as the Australian east coast continues to be battered by gale-force winds. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

In Dalby and Oakey, temperatures of about 15C felt like 4C.

Strong winds have also been recorded right up to Rockhampton where it was blowing 50km/h just before 2pm and at Proserpine where winds of 34km/h were recorded.

Queenslanders were warned to prepare for a wild week of weather expected to include severe fire danger, gusty winds, thunderstorms and even the chance of snow.

BOM meteorologist Helen Reid delivered a turbulent weather forecast on Monday, detailing a rollercoaster of weather conditions determined by a trough moving across the state.

Wild winds hit central Brisbane as the Australian east coast continues to be battered by gale-force winds. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

A very high fire danger rating for inlands parts of the state is expected to extend to most of Queensland on Tuesday as the rating increases to severe for the Northern Goldfields, Upper Flinders and Gulf Country.

“Ahead of the trough the temperatures will be very warm, about 5C above average for September, and with the winds with it as well, that increases the fire danger,” Ms Reid said.

“We have continuation of fire danger behind the trough as we still have some dry air, and the gusty winds coming in from the south will add to the risk of high fire danger through parts of the state continuing into Wednesday.

“As the trough crosses the south-east corner of Queensland, we can expect to see a little bit of shower and thunderstorm activity and as cold air moves through the region on Tuesday there’s an outside chance of a dusting of snow on the Granite Belt as well.”

Ms Reid said sunshine would remain for most regions with few clouds.

BRISBANE Queensland

Gusty winds are expected from the south during Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Once the cold air behind the trough settles in, we can be looking forward to some more frosty mornings in the middle of the week,” Ms Reid said.

“They’ll continue for a couple of days and the daytime temperatures will be a lot cooler through the south and inland parts of the state on Tuesday and extending through to be cooler right through the north of state on Wednesday.

“So that’s about 5C below average right across the state once the effects of that trough is felt.”

The Bureau of Meteorology on Tuesday issued a marine wind warning for parts of the southeast across the next two days with “wind chill” likely to be significant on Tuesday.

A gale warning is predicted for the Gold Coast, with north-westerly winds expected to reach 20-25 knots.

On Wednesday morning winds are expected to turn southerly 20-25 knots and then ease to 15-25 knots in the evening.

“Strong wind warnings” have been issued for remaining parts of the southeast and the Sunshine Coast.

GOLD COAST Queensland

Maximum temperatures will start to increase towards the weekend, reflecting more typical September conditions.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services imposed a local fire ban for residents of South East Queensland from Monday morning to midnight on Tuesday.

The local fire ban includes Logan, Scenic Rim, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Somerset and Gold Coast Regional Council areas with residents encouraged to use extreme care and ensure adequate equipment is available to extinguish any possible fires.

All open fires are banned, subject to exemptions, during this period and any permits to light fire which had been issued in the designated areas were cancelled.

SUNSHINE COAST Queensland

Maximum temperatures for Brisbane:

Tuesday 25C

Wednesday 24C

Thursday 25C

Friday 28C

Saturday 30C

Sunday 25C