Qld weather: Why South East storm threat has eased

Warnings of potentially “life-threatening” supercell storms that were expected to smash parts of South East Queensland on Friday morning, prompting mass school closures, have turned out to be a false alarm. Here, the Bureau of Meteorology explains why.

“Life-threatening storms” that were feared to South East Queensland on Friday, prompting the Palaszczuk Government’s controversial decision to close schools and call off the flood clean-up, have turned out to be a false alarm.

The Bureau of Meteorology says there is still the possibility of “severe” storms, but not as “intense” as those that sparked panic on Thursday.

What’s changed?

A storm pictured passing over Brisbane CBD on Thursday morning, as seen from north of the CBD. Picture: Josh Woning)

Bureau duty forecaster Brooke Pagel said moist and unstable air had merged with an upper trough to create Thursday’s “dangerous” storms which produced giant hail, near-100 km/h winds, heavy rain and renewed flooding.

But she said the trough had drifted away from the southeast into coastal waters, reducing the intensity of forecast storms on Friday.

“We’re still looking at severe thunderstorms but they’re not expected to be as intense as were experienced on Thursday,” she said.

“We’re not looking at hail or heavy rainfall. The storms have definitely been downgraded.”

A severe storm in Brisbane on Thursday morning carried heavy rain and destructive winds. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Ms Pagel said more severe storms were forecast for the weekend but ‘nothing like Thursday’s’.

She said there could still be “pockets of heavy rain”, potentially leading to some localised flooding.

“Little creeks and streams will respond quickly to any heavy short-duration rainfall,” she said.

“We’re keeping a close eye on the situation and will be issuing any appropriate warnings.”