Southeast Queensland lashed with short, sharp storms

Brisbane smashed with thunder and lightning, while areas of the Gold Coast received 28mm of rain in just 10 minutes as storms – not severe enough to spark a BOM warning – hit the southeast.

Incoming storms pictured from Southbank. Pic: Josh Woning

A band of rain and storms has swept over southeast Queensland on Tuesday afternoon brining thunder, lighting and sudden downpours.

Areas of the Gold Coast have reported receiving 28mm of rain in just 10 minutes as the line of short, sharp storm fronts – not severe enough to spark a BOM warning – hit the southeast.

Incoming storms pictured from Southbank. Pic: Josh Woning

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology recorded the highest rainfall at 4pm at 26mm in Logan and 28mm on the Gold Coast.

A Gold Coast resident posted on a Facebook group, “28mm in 10 minutes really tested my gutters”, with others commenting they experienced temporary flooding in outdoor areas due to the sudden downpour.

Despite not issuing any warning for Queensland before the storm swiped through, the bureau predicted possible shower or storm for Brisbane, with 40 per cent of chances for rain.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said the thunderstorms had not produced severe weather conditions at this stage.

He listed conditions such as rainfall heavy enough to cause flash flooding, large hail greater than 2cm or damaging winds of more than 90 km/h.

“The bureau doesn’t issue warnings for thunderstorms unless they reach the severe thresholds, but we do mention them on our forecasts, so people can be prepared for the sort of weather associated with non-severe thunderstorms,” he said.

Small storms lashed SEQ on Tuesday. Picture: BOM

“The bureau is closely monitoring the weather situation and warnings will be issued, if necessary.”

Several flights were diverted from Brisbane Airport on Tuesday afternoon due to lightning strikes, delaying departures for at least an hour.

A Brisbane Airport spokesman said a number of flights expected to land at both the Domestic and International Terminals from 5pm onwards were diverted as storms hit the area.

Between 5.30pm and 6pm seven domestic flights were diverted to the Gold Coast, as well as four international services.

International flights included a Virgin flight from Queenstown which was diverted to the Gold Coast and is expected to continue to Brisbane, a Virgin aircraft from Port Vila that also landed in the Gold Coast, a Qantas flight from Christchurch was diverted to the Sunshine Coast and an Air New Zealand flight was diverted to Sydney from Wellington.

With weather conditions over the Brisbane Airport now improving a spokesman confirmed operations had returned to normal, however there would be impacts to flight schedules due to the diversions.

Logan City Council issued a flood warning for Plunkett Rd in Cedar Creek, with all lanes in both directions closed.

Power was also cut to 4000-plus southeast residents, with 1434 without electricity in Logan as of 6.30pm. A further 2067 were without power in Moreton Bay, 1082 in Brisbane, 65 in Somerset and 10 in Ipswich.

Moreton Bay City Council closed Mott St in Strathpine due to flash flooding, advising motorists to expect long delays.

More to come.