Brisbane weather: Hail warning as storms bear down on southeast

Southeast Queensland has been in the firing line as severe thunderstorms raged through the region delivering three-centimetre hail and 50mm rain in just an hour in places, and leaving more than 8200 properties without power.

Southeast Queensland residents have endured severe thunderstorms that brought three-centimetre hail, high winds and heavy rain across the region.

Storm warnings were finally cancelled about 8.30pm, but not before thousands had been left without power.

Brisbane Storm | 23/02/21
Looking SW from southside Brisbane #brisbane#bnestorm#bne#storm#stormhour#weather#weatherphotography#hyperlapse#thisisqueensland#queensland#seeaustralia#summer#cloudporn#clouds#karmelianmedia#abcmyphotopic.twitter.com/oDhqneqlz5

— KarmelianMedia (@KarmelianMedia) February 23, 2021

Three-centimetre hail was recorded at Greenmount, south of Toowoomba, and Hamilton Creek, southwest of Rockhampton.

And Maroon Dam on the southern Darling Downs received just over 50mm of rain in an hour, as hail was reported at Legume on the Queensland-NSW border.

More than 60 millimetres of rain was recorded in just an hour at Underwood and west of Rathdowney.

A 96 km/h wind gust was recorded at Longreach at 3:43pm

Severe storms roll in over Brisbane. Picture: Sean Callinan

By 8pm, 8277 properties had been left without power.

In Brisbane, 2041 properties were without power, with 2244 in Moreton Bay, 1633 on the Gold Coast and 1993 in Logan also with no power.

View from Grange as severe storms roll in over Brisbane. Picture: Sean Callinan

Storm clouds move over Brisbane on Tuesday afternoon. Picture: Annette Dew

TOP TEMPERATURES SO FAR TODAY

Longreach 41.3C

Trepell 41C

Winton 39.9C

Biloela 39.3C

Richmond 38.9C

Blackall 38.8C

Rockhampton 36.8C

Emerald 39.3C

Miles 38.4C

Gatton 36C

Ipswich 34C

Brisbane 30.8C

Gold Coast 29.2C

Sunshine Coast 28.5C

Storms approaching southeast Queensland. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

It follows another day of soaring temperatures across the state.

Queensland was sweltering by noon, with heatwave conditions sending temperatures soaring over 40C in the state’s central west.

The hottest place in Queensland is currently Longreach, which was 40.5C at noon, followed by Blackall on 39.9C, and Rockhampton and Blackwater on 38C.

At 11am, it was 39.7C in Longreach while temperatures had climbed to 38.2C in Blackall.

It comes after southeast Queensland was treated to a late-night lightning show as the state swelters through one last summer heatwave.

While only 18mm fell in Brisbane overnight, lightning lit up the sky around 11pm, captured by Twitter users, some of whom were woken by the storm.

A stunning light show is moving through most of South East Queensland tonight. This bolt captured looking west from Coorparoo, where rain has just started falling as thunder builds @10NewsFirstQLD#bnestormpic.twitter.com/Aj3bDaQ9M8

— Scotty McDonald (@Scotty_McDonald) February 22, 2021

The most rainfall was recorded in Goonburra, south of Toowoomba, measuring 34mm. Eagle Farm, near Brisbane Airport, received 18mm in the overnight dump.

It followed a record-breaking day in Queensland, with Rockhampton sweltering through its hottest February day since 1969, recording 41.4C, nine degrees above average.

Bundaberg hit 38.6C, well above the 30C average. Gatton, west of Brisbane, recorded 40.4C, nine degrees above average.

Absolutely cracking lightning over Queensland's South East after a sweltering hot day. #BNEstorm#BNEweather#weather#storm#Queenslandpic.twitter.com/UxoJpjpSfa

— Samantha Nixon (@SamNScience) February 22, 2021

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster James Thompson said a low pressure system over the Tasman Sea was to blame for the heatwave.

“That was dragging hot air from Central Australia across into eastern Queensland over the last few days, which is why we’ve seen heatwave conditions,” he said.

“We’re looking at another warm day across large parts of Queensland on Tuesday. Starting to ease off through tomorrow along eastern Queensland.

“The state will have cooled down by Thursday.”

Mr Thompson said there was a “chance” of more storms on Tuesday afternoon, more likely through the Darling Downs and western parts of the southeast.

“There is definitely a chance the storm could get to the coast today, but whether it will hit Brisbane is tricky to say,” he said.

CURRENT TEMPS & 7-DAY FORECASTS

BRISBANE Queensland

GOLD COAST Queensland

SUNSHINE COAST Queensland

IPSWICH Queensland

LOGAN Queensland

LONGREACH Queensland

ROCKHAMPTON Queensland

MOUNT ISA Queensland

Originally published as Brisbane weather: Hail warning as storms bear down on southeast