Severe storms to bring large hail, damaging winds to southeast Queensland

Dozens of vehicles travelling on southeast Queensland roads have had their windscreens smashed by hail and fallen trees have damaged other property, after fierce storms tore through the southeast.

SEVERE thunderstorms have wreaked havoc across southeast Queensland, with reports of fallen trees, mass power outages and cars and property destroyed by hail.

The Sunshine Coast was hit particularly hard and there are reports that lightning strikes have ignited grass and tree fires in a number of suburbs.

Property pummeled by cricket-ball-size hail

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A QFES media spokeswoman said powerlines were down in Buderim, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Mountain Creek, Noosaville, Landsborough, Bells Creek and Marcus Beach, plunging some 10,000 people on the Coast into darkness.

She also confirmed SES crews were looking into a partial roof collapse at Palmview, while Woolworths Currimundi also had water streaming through its roof.

Dozens of motorists travelling on the Sunshine Motorway and Bruce Highway during the storm have had their windscreens smashed by large hail, while a 30-metre high Norfolk pine at Alexandra Headland was also brought down.

A large Norfolk pine crashed down near the Alex Surf Club.

The huge tree crashed down just outside the Alexandra Headlands Surf Club.

General manager Ashley Robinson said somehow the tree only made a slight dint in a guard rail.

“It’s fallen towards the beach behind the lifeguard tower, missed everything,” Mr Robinson said.

“My car got hammered at Wurtulla, we got a battering with cricket-ball sized hail.”

A vehicle was also crushed by a tree at Buderim.

A “mini cyclone” struck at one Maroochy River farm, according to owner Troy Apps.

Mr Apps has been left with a “massive” clean-up.

He said he couldn’t believe his eyes, seeing trees along the riverbank that had been there for “more than 40 years” uprooted. “It lifted up a huge group of cottonwood trees along the riverbank – 25m long – and just lifted it out of the water,” he said.

“It seemed to blow in from the west – we’re in a bit of a valley – but it was like a mini cyclone. It must take serious winds to rip those trees up; they’ve been here all my life.”

Cricket ball sized hail was recorded in the Glass House Mountains, after the weather bureau issued a warning for “giant hail” about 1pm on Sunday.

“In terms of size, giant hail is anything bigger than five centimetres, so that is bigger than the size of a golf ball and just under the size of a tennis ball,” Meteorologist Rosa Hoff said.

“We’ve already had reports of cricket ball sized hail in the Glass House Mountains.”

Wide-ranging storm warnings for the southeast and Wide Bay and Burnett areas have since been cancelled.

Severe thunderstorms have brought hail to Brisbane's northern suburbs, like this at McDowall. Picture: Amy Price