South East Queensland weather: Supermarket inundated amid latest storms

A shopping centre has been inundated after severe storms hit parts of southern Queensland. WATCH THE VIDEO

Taylah Fellows, Michael Hudson and Shaye Windsor

2 min read

January 6, 2023 - 5:26AM

QLD weather news

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Supercell storms that menaced parts of South East Queensland on Thursday afternoon failed to pack the punch of those that produced hundreds of thousands of lightning strikes on Wednesday night.

One intense downpour on Thursday, however, left a regional shopping centre inundated.

Severe storms roll across South East Queensland. Picture: BOM

Video footage captured water pouring through the ceiling of the Rose City Shopping Centre in Warwick during a storm.

The Bureau of Meteorology had earlier on Thursday warned Queensland to expect more lightning-fuelled storms with giant hail and damaging winds, with the potential for flash flooding.

BOM earlier today said Queenslanders severe storm cells are moving east through the central and southern interiors, before impacting the entire southeast coastline on Thursday afternoon.

Storms are expected to lash all areas stretching from Bundaberg down to the Gold Coast during the afternoon and night before clearing on Friday.

Very dangerous storms are expected across South East Queensland this afternoon. Picture: www.weatherwatch.net.au

The gloomy forecast came after the South East was battered with a series of severe storms on Wednesday night, with places in Moreton Bay copping more than 120mm of rainfall and Deception Bay receiving a 76mm drenching in just 30 minutes.

Some roads have been affected by ongoing rain.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads said Kinsellas Rd West at Mango Hill between John St and Kinsellas Rd West remains closed due to flash flooding.

Near Toowoomba, Leahy Rd at Kleinton was closed on Wednesday afternoon due to boggy conditions and road damage. Abels Rd at Goombungee is also closed.

Brisbane was forecast to receive a further 20mm on Thursday, as was the Sunshine Coast, while the Gold Coast was expected to receive at least 30mm.

Lightning strikes and storm activity across the South East on Wednesday night. Picture: Anthony Cornelius Meteorologist/Facebook

Bureau meteorologist Danny Johnson said Queensland’s hot, humid weather conditions could lead to more intense storms and much larger rainfall totals than currently predicted.

“The humidity draws a lot of that moisture, storms develops in the ranges and floats down into the coastal regions,” Mr Johnson said.

“We’re expecting up to 20m around the South East coast but that can increase quite significantly, especially with what we saw last night when 76mm dropped in Deception Bay in 30 minutes, that certainly can lead to flash flooding.”

“Certainly the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast are all in the firing line, while lessening a bit in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.”

Overnight top rainfall totals were recorded in Rothwell (129mm), Deception Bay (120mm) and Rosewood (90mm).
Energex reported 200,000 lightning strikes caused 16,000 power outages across the South East, with more than 1,000 outages lasting through the night in the Moreton Bay region.

A lightning strike at Redcliffe on Wednesday night. Picture: Facebook

A driver became trapped in floodwaters in Brisbane and a house caught on fire after being struck by lightning in Scarborough.

Sunshine Coast drivers were warned on Thursday morning to steer clear of Louis Bazzo Dr near Six Mile Creek due to hazardous flash flooding following the heavy overnight rainfall.

The Bureau said South East Queenslanders should continue checking for storm warning updates throughout the day and to never drive through flood waters.