Snow-like hail, storms forecast for South East Queensland, Wide Bay today
Two weather systems collided on Thursday afternoon to bring severe weather that saw parts of Queensland - including K’gari - blanketed in snowlike hail.
A massive pool of freezing cold air has settled over South East Queensland creating instability, triggering more thunder and hail storms today.
Temperatures 6km above the southeast were around -25C on Thursday morning and as the pocket of cold air began interacting with relatively warm air underneath, thunderstorms have started to form across the region.
A repeat of snowlike hail that blanketed some suburbs on Wednesday was forecast, plus a slight chance of isolated severe storms that could produce 2cm hail and 90km/h wind gusts.
Multiple severe weather warnings were issued Thursday afternoon but were cancelled by 6.30pm.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for large hailstones at 3.49pm for parts of Wide Bay and Burnett and Southeast Coast Forecast Districts.
It warned that severe thunderstorms were likely to produce large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours with significant accumulations of small hail also possible. Locations which may be affected include Gympie and Tiaro.
At 3.54pm the Bureau issued a second alert for severe thunderstorms and large hailstones or the Gympie Council area.
It was updated at 4.25pm to advise a severe thunderstorm likely to produce large hailstones was detected moving towards the north. It was forecast to affect the area north of Gympie by 4:50pm.
By 4.55pm BOM advised severe thunderstorms in the warning area had temporarily eased, but the redevelopment of severe thunderstorms remained possible.
The severe thunderstorms across Thursday afternoon also saw hail fall at K’gari.
Campbell Brodie reported seeing fine “snowlike” hail on the track into Central Station.
Mr Brodie and Cheryl Brodie, who are visiting K’gari from Adelaide, were heading to Central Station on the inland track when it started hailing.
Mr Brodie said the island paradise was transformed into a winter wonderland.
“We thought we might as well just go to Central Station for a wander and as we got closer and closer, it got darker and darker,” he said.
“All of a sudden, it was just this fog, it was just really dark and foggy and then all of a sudden, the ground just started turning white.
“Everything was white, all the leaves had been ripped off the trees from the hail coming through.
“We walked around Central Station for 20 minutes, it was cold as I had my ski jacket on.
“It was just white everywhere, it was quite amazing.
“It felt like we were in the snow country, not on Fraser Island.”
Thomas Hinterdorfer from Higgins Storm Chasing said widespread storms have brought a significant amount of hail to South East Queensland on Thursday.
“We’ve had a bunch of hail storms go through a large part of South East Queensland this afternoon,” he said.
“The cell that’s just gone through Gympie has produced a fair amount of hail, we’ve definitely seen some backyards, even some roads covered in hail.
“The weather focus has certainly shifted north of Brisbane, the main focus for now will be the Wide Bay and Burnett, as well as the Sunshine Coast hinterland.”
Earlier in the day, the first hailstorm, bringing snowlike falls, hit Laceys Creek near Dayboro about midday.
As of 3pm, there are scattered storms located across Brisbane, City of Moreton Bay, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay, Fraser Coast, Scenic Rim, Darling Downs, and the Southern Downs.
According to Higgins Storm Chasing, pea-sized hail has blanketed the ground across Crows Nest, north of Toowoomba, following an intense storm earlier this afternoon.
Significant hail has also been reported at Toogoolawah in the Somerset region, as well as Glen Aplin, south of Stanthorpe, in the Southern Downs.
Areas in the Wide Bay and Burnett regions also reported hail in the mid afternoon, hours before the Bureau’s warning was issued.
Mr Hinterdorfer from Higgins Storm Chasing said storm activity is expected to increase over the next few hours.
“Most storms are expected to remain below severe thresholds of less than 2cm of hail, but one or two may produce some localised large hail over 2cm,” he said.
“All storms should produce at least small hail given how cold the air above us is. Even some of the heavier showers may produce small hail.
“Focus area for now is Gold Coast to Stanthorpe, North to Bundaberg. So a pretty broad area of Southeast Queensland. More storms are expected to develop throughout the afternoon, so it’s not just about the current cells around.”
Seven News meteorologist Tony Auden declared the “blob had arrived”, meaning parts of the southeast could expect another round of afternoon showers and storms, likely peaking late this afternoon.
“Once again, large amounts of small hail are likely, which could look like snow in some places,” he said.
“This type of hail usually doesn’t damage cars.”
On Wednesday, Logan, Caboolture and the Glass House Mountains recorded hail, with photos emerging of the ground covered in small, powdery hail resembling snow.
Hailstorms were also reported on the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim.
Weather bureau meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said showers and the chance of thunderstorms were expected from the southeast north to the Wide Bay and southern Capricornia regions.
“Rainfall totals are not expected to be high and thunderstorms are not expected to become severe, however we may still see some small hail produced by these thunderstorms across the southeastern region, and that does include Brisbane,” she said.
The upper trough is likely to send temperatures plummeting in coming days, with overnight minimums down to 1C in the state’s southwest and 3C in Ipswich by Monday.
