Qld set to be hit by scorching temperatures and fire threat as storms rage on

Temperatures in parts of Queensland are expected to soar as high as 43C while SEQ could be hit with isolated storms following Friday’s incredible gustnado that swept through Brisbane.

Temperatures across the state are set to climb over the coming days with 29C in Brisbane and up to 43C in the South West on Monday. Photo: Windy.

Queensland residents are on high alert as severe weather transitions from violent thunderstorms to a surge of above-average temperatures and escalating fire risks.

Following Friday’s intense storms, which battered Brisbane with baseball-sized hail and a mini-tornado, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned that the wild weather is far from over.

Golf ball sized hail stones from Fortitude Valley in Brisbane. Photo supplied by Higgins Storm Chasing/Sarah.

Screen shots of a mini tornado sweeping across the Brisbane River during an afternoons storm. Source: Nicole McIntosh.

Senior meteorologist Christie Johnson explained that the severe thunderstorms that struck SEQ on Friday have now shifted northward, increasing the risk in inland areas and reaching as far as Wide Bay Burnett and surrounding regions.

“The risk of the severe storms has now moved a bit further north, so it’s up more around that sort of Wide Bay and Burnett area extending up into Central Highlands and Coalfields, Kingaroy, maybe the very far north of the Darling Downs district, and the southern Capricornia,” Ms Johnson said.

For residents of these areas should prepare for the possibility of severe thunderstorms, which may bring damaging winds, localised heavy rainfall and large hail.

“There is the risk that we could see it [hail] getting over two centimetres,” Ms Johnson said.

“There’s definitely a risk as damaging wind gusts, and also we could see some localised heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding.”

Despite a slight easing in storm severity for the southeast, Ms Johnson noted that residents on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast could still experience isolated showers over the weekend.

A dangerous storm moved through south east Queensland bringing destructive winds and large hail. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

As thunderstorm activity subsides, Queensland is set to face unseasonably high temperatures, with unseasonably high temperatures sweeping across much of the state.

Johnson emphasised that inland areas, particularly the southwest, will see temperatures soaring 8C to 10C above average on Sunday and Monday, heightening the risk of fire danger.

“Today, we’re seeing slightly below-average temperatures in the southeast, but that’s a temporary relief,” Ms Johnson explained.

“From tomorrow, temperatures will start to climb, especially inland, where conditions will get significantly hotter, pushing fire dangers even higher.”

The bureau warns that the southwest will experience the brunt of the heat, peaking on Sunday and Monday, before pushing eastward as the week progresses.

“It’s the inland parts, particularly the southwest of the state, that’s going to get those really significantly above average temperatures,” Ms Johnson said.

“Particularly in the southwest of Queensland, we’ll start seeing some temperatures that could be 10C above average through Sunday.

“That continues into Monday, and we start to see those temperatures 4-8C above average, pushing towards the southeast, into Monday and into Tuesday.”

Temperatures are set to climb as high as 29C in Brisbane and up to 43C in the South West on Monday. Photo: Windy.

Forecasting maps show that temperatures in Channel Country towns like Birdsville and Bedourie could soar to 43C, with Windorah reaching 41C.

Further east, Charleville and Roma are set to reach the mid-to-high 30Cs, while Brisbane is expected to see highs of 28C to 29C.

This spike in temperatures will bring high fire risks across much of Queensland.

“As we move into tomorrow and Monday, pretty much everywhere except the real coastal fringe has high fire dangers with those significantly above average temperatures,” Ms Johnson said.

Johnson urged Queenslanders to brace for high temperatures throughout the week, with the elevated temperatures expected to last until at least Thursday.

“It’s going to be quite we’re looking at above average temperatures pretty much all week for the south east, today will probably be the coolest day for most of the week,” she warned.