Queensland weather: Severe storm warning after 115mm in past 24 hours

Severe weather continues across southern Queensland with an early morning storm warning flagged flash flooding fears after 73mm fell in just three hours.

Severe storms are impacting southern Queensland, dumping torrential rain. Picture: meteologix

Severe weather continues in parts of southern Queensland, with 73mm recorded in just three hours in one area and a warning flagging the possibility of flash flooding.

A moist and unstable air mass is linking up with multiple troughs across the state to produce slow-moving, severe thunderstorms.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued earlier this morning due to the possibility of flash flooding around Taroom, Chinchilla and Miles.

A total of 73mm was recorded at Pinelands, north of Crows Nest, in three hours to 6.15am.

The storm warning has now been cancelled but the Bureau of Meteorology continues to monitor the situation.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Harry Clark said the wettest spots about the state were mainly the southern inland, particularly the northern Darling Downs.

“The top falls have been 114mm at Stillers Road, which is the north of Miles, broadly, we’re seeing, you know, upwards of 50-60mm in the Northern Downs region overnight.”

Mr Clark said most of the state could expect shower activity on Wednesday.

“There’s a reasonable chance across all districts really, along the coastal strip including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg, Mackay, Townaville, Cairns it’s just showers,” he said.

“But once you move inland, there’s the chance of showers and thunderstorms again this afternoon and there is the chance that some of those could be severe.”

Mr Clark said the risk of severe activity was highest across the New South Wales border region, west of Stanthorpe towards Quilpie in far southern inland Queensland.

He added there was also a slight chance around the Georgetown area in the northern interior.

Looking ahead, Mr Clark said from tomorrow onwards the rain would shift further west.

“So still a broad band of showers and thunderstorms is possible, through the Maranoa and Warrego, that’s Charleville and Roma, the Central West about Longreach, even emerald, and then up into the Northwest and Gulf countries,” he said.

“So the next few days the rain is shifting westwards into western Queensland, still a slight chance of showers along the coast each day, but certainly the focus will be further inland.

“Then potentially a return to the east sort of Monday, Tuesday next week as that starts pushing toward the coast again.”

South East Queensland saw its heaviest falls over the past 24 hours since the rain system blanketed Queensland, with 115mm recorded at Upper Sandy Creek to 7am today.

In Brisbane today, there is the medium chance of showers becoming less likely in the afternoon, with daytime temperatures expected to hit 26C.