Qld Weather: Midday storm smashes Sunshine Coast and Gympie region with giant hail, heavy rain
The Bureau has cancelled two severe storm warnings, but confirmed it would monitor the situation into the night, with humid air masses causing instability.
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Severe weather warnings have been cancelled for southeast Queensland and the Capricornia region after massive hail smashed Gympie earlier in the day.
The Bureau of Meteorology cancelled the two storm warnings just after 7pm, but confirmed it would monitor the situation into the night, with unstable air masses causing cells to appear quickly.
Heavy rain, large hail and damaging winds were expected to lash southeast Queensland and the Capricornia region, but the alerts were downgraded as the storms scattered and lost intensity.
The previous warnings stated that a trough of low pressure and a moist, humid air mass was triggering the severe thunderstorms.
“Severe thunderstorms are no longer affecting the southeast Queensland area (east of Dalby from Rainbow Beach to Stanthorpe). The immediate threat of severe thunderstorms has passed, but the situation will continue to be monitored and further warnings will be issued if necessary,” the updated alert read.
IT WAS CRAZY: Moment hailstorm smashed into Gympie
It comes after the Gympie region was battered with hail earlier in the day.
Residents on Gympie’s southside reports golf ball-size hail as the series of storms swept across the region and down to the northern Sunshine Coast, with heavy rain also hitting the region hard.
At 1.15pm the Bureau of Meteorology issued another severe thunderstorm warning for areas including Gympie, Moreton Bay, Maroochydore, Noosa and Caloundra.
Half an hour earlier it issued 12.44pm alert for storms, with likely hail and damaging winds for the Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett and Southeast coast.
And even earlier in the day, before giant hail battered Gympie, warnings were issued at 11.57am for Gympie, Sunshine Coast and Noosa council areas.
At 1.30pm there was a small storm cell over the southern Gold Coast, with the Coolangatta area reportedly copping thunder, lightning and rain.
“These thunderstorms are moving towards the northeast,” it said.
“They are forecast to affect the area southwest of Noosa Heads, the area southeast of Gympie and the area northeast of Gympie by 12:20pm and the area south of Gympie, the area east of Gympie and Pomona by 12:50pm.
“Large hailstones and damaging winds are likely.”
A second, more general warning was issued at 11.52am people in parts of Wide Bay and Burnett and Southeast Coast forecast districts.
“A trough of low pressure and a moist, humid air mass is triggering severe thunderstorms,” it said.
“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce large hailstones and damaging winds in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Gympie, Cooroy, Imbil and Nambour.”
One Gympie resident admitted she was caught totally off guard.
“OMG, did not see that coming. Absolutely smashed on the southside,” Renae Wilson said on a post showing the size of hail that feel at her property.